Wishful Thinking
by Smack
Summary: All Yume wants is a little excitement in life. When a stranger appears and offers her the chance, will it be everything she ever wanted, or something horribly different? Some things are better left as wishful thinking...
1. Rain Rain, Go Away

_Wishful Thinking..._ Disclaimer: I don't own Fushigi Yuugi. Now leave me alone while I cry in a corner. Author's Note: Well, here's my first Fushigi Yuugi fic! This is an a/u (sort of, I follow the series through part of it but not all) that takes place during the series. It's not exactly self-explanatory, (whoa! Big word!), but I can't say too much without giving away the chapter. Hmm...I'll explain more about when it takes place in next chapter's author's note. It's written in first person if that helps... Oh yea, Chichiri and Tasuki may appear in my author's notes if they feel like it. Some other characters may too, but Tasuki and Chichiri are my little buddies. Yea... o_O I should start now... '...'Character's thoughts Chapter 1: Rain Rain, Go Away I sat in my window seat on the second story of my home, watching as the rain pounded on and on outside. A book lay on my lap, open. I was reading, but had stopped. I'm not sure if I got bored with the book or I simply became mesmerized by the rain. I wasn't positive, but for some reason I had decided to sit on my window while reading the novel I had picked for English class. It was some foreign folk tale that I somehow managed to sell to my teacher as a young adult novel. I let out a long heartfelt sigh as I glanced down at the page. 'Yet another cordial romance novel. No matter how the authors may change the wording, all these stories are the same. A poor, defenseless young woman is dealt a hard hand by a cold, unforgiving society. Maybe she got lost and a villain appeared out of the darkness and tried to harm her. Perhaps she was being robbed. No matter what they do to her, a gallant young man appears just in time to save her. Then, gradually, even when all odds are against them, the two people fall in love and agree to face all hardships together. Blah blah blahdy blah. It's all the same to me,' I thought bitterly. I looked away from the window where the rain was still pounding and turned my gaze to my bed where my dog, Shiriko, was sleeping. "Shiriko?" The dog looked up at me when he heard his name called, a sort of "well? What do you want?" look. "How come all these stories are the same?" I asked him. He gave me a "don't know, don't care" look and if he was capable, I'm sure he would of sighed at my stupid question. Sometimes, I find myself wondering why none of the stuff that happens in stories ever happens in real life. Well, maybe it does happen, but not very often and not to anyone I know. I don't care what my English teachers say. Young adult literature has not gotten more realistic. People still live perfect lives and everything ends "happily ever after." In all the stories, you never hear about a girl who doesn't get the guy she loved in the beginning. Feelings change. A person you think you love you may not later on, even if you are sure your love is "pure." But it still always ends the same. It makes me bitter just thinking about it. I clinched my fists in an attempt to suppress another sigh. What's there to get bitter about? 'The crap they feed us in their tales, that's what,' I answered my own question. I got up and headed towards my door. "Well Shiriko, let's get something to eat, shall we?" The dog got up and followed me with his wolf walk. Shiriko was half wolf and you could clearly tell just by watching his movement or by looking at him. He had the lean wolf body and ran just like one. As we reached the bottom of the stairs, I turned and looked behind me. I felt a presence but couldn't explain it. I knew that I was home alone. My parents were gone for the week and my brother was at work then he was going to his friends for the week, too. 'So why am I sensing things?' Shiriko turned as well and sniffed the air. I always believed that animals were more alert than we are, you know, more in tune with their senses or something. Ever since I was little, I have often thought that I was more in tune than other people, that maybe I had some gift that I could help people with. My name is Yume after all "Yume" stands for "dream" in Japanese. I never could figure out why my parents gave me a Japanese name when I'm far from being Japanese. I turned around again. 'I swear that I'm being watched.' Shiriko started to growl and I began to shake. 'It's just my imagination,' I told myself. Shiriko started barking. I started shaking harder. "Who...who's there?" I called out, secretly hoping no one would answer. Fate must have been smiling on me because I didn't get a response. 'Or maybe they didn't want to reveal themselves just yet,' a voice in the back of my head whispered. It was unlike my normal thoughts. It seemed almost as though someone else was inside my head telling me things. 'Maybe they want you to think that they aren't here even though they are...' it continued. I looked at Shiriko for support. He had stopped barking but continued sniffing the air for any sign of an enemy. My parents weren't afraid of leaving me alone because they knew Shiriko would always protect me, even though I am young. I was almost 15 but still shouldn't be left alone a lot. I grabbed a soda from the fridge and just as I popped it open, I felt it again. The presence. There was definitely something here and I wasn't sure I liked it. I called Shiriko and ran upstairs. As soon as both Shiriko and I were safe in my room, I closed and locked my door. If there was something there, I knew that locking my door probably wouldn't do anything to stop it but it made me feel safer. It wasn't like I could go anywhere, it was still pouring out. How I wished the rain would stop! Then Shiriko and me could go for a nice walk and get away from this place. But, I can't control the weather. I picked up my book and started reading again. It was the part where the two characters were just about to admit they had feelings for each other. I put it down in disgust. Nothing like that ever happened to me. I wish sometimes that even a little bit of excitement would come to my life. Maybe not romance, but at least something _remotely_ interesting. I sighed again at my own wishful thinking. 'Please, that kind of stuff only happens in fairy tales, in books,' that voice from before came back again. I soon became lost in thought about how I wish that sometimes there could be excitement in my life and the falsehoods that authors tell us in their books. 'Then they wonder why so many people wish they could fall in love and why we have such high divorce rates? Everyone believes in love at first sight and soul mates. It's not that I don't believe in that kind of stuff, it's just that it is hard for me to put full faith in something based entirely on chance. What happens if you don't find your soul mate? Then what? Are you destined to live a life of despair because you can't find your other half?' I was so lost in thought that I don't even think I noticed that it had stopped raining, well, until Shiriko pointed it out. His bark awoke me from my thoughts. I blinked a few times to clarify my vision, (I had been staring into space the entire time), and looked outside. The sun was out; it had stopped raining. "Let's go for a walk, Shiriko. We could both use some exercise." I got up and walked to my door. 'It's locked...I wonder why?' Then I remembered my paranoia from before. 'I can be so paranoid sometimes... Weird presence. Yea right,' I thought as I grabbed my bag and unlocked my door. Shiriko and I headed out on our usual path in the neighborhood: down the street and around the block. We lived in a nice little housing development, not at all out of the ordinary. All the houses looked similar, with the same basic color schemes with a few variations here and there. Our house was one of the odd ones, its color scheme didn't match the neighbors and it was slightly larger and designed differently. Not that we were rich, we just wanted a little more space since my brother and I were older and had more stuff. We moved in a couple years ago and were accepted. They eyed a little suspiciously when we took in Shiriko, but for the most part our neighbors liked us and were your average friendly people who worked average hours at average, boring jobs. 'I would hate for my life to become that monotonous,' I thought with a shake. 'Nothing was ever different, nothing out of the ordinary in your day. Wait...that is what my life is like now, isn't it?' One of the neighbors smiled and waved at me from their driveway and I returned the greeting with no intention of striking up conversation. They must have felt the same, because they went back to whatever menial task their lives called for and Shiriko and I continued on our way. Although he could easily pull me down the street, Shiriko almost always stayed at my pace. Today, however, he pranced and pulled, almost as though he had somewhere he wanted to go. "Whoa, Shiriko! Heel! Slow down!" He paid no heed to my orders and continued to pull with such urgency it disturbed me. 'He's taking me towards that field. I should let him run.' "Ok, Shiriko. Have it your way. We'll go to the field. Now will you please slow down?" He slowed but still moved with an unusual excitement. No, it was more of an anxiety, really. 'What's with him today?' We reached the field and I bent over to let him off the leash when he took off. He dragged me a good twenty feet before I let go of the leash. Bruised and dirty, I dusted myself off before getting up and looking for him. He was a good 100 yards ahead of me, standing there, watching me. It seemed almost as though he was waiting for me. "Shiriko!" I called. "You wait right there! Don't even think about running!" He stayed until I got almost close enough to grab the leash that was still dangling from his collar. Then he took off again. "Shiriko! This isn't a game! Come back here **now**." But to him it was a game. He kept it up until we were deep in the forest. I was so tired I could barely move and I knew I'd never be able to find my way back to the clearing. Shiriko had barely tired out. I knew he could keep this up for quite a while longer. "Shiriko," I called again. 'Please...stop..." As though I said the magic words, Shiriko stopped, full speed. He was looking straight ahead, teeth showing, growling at some unseen enemy. At first, I thought it was me he was snarling at but as I got closer, I saw that there was another reason he stopped and another reason he had his teeth out. He, I think it was a he, anyway, had long blond hair and piecing blue eyes that seemed as though they could look right through you, into your soul. He was dressed in some kind of armor, also blue and quite out of place in the middle of a forest, and was smirking at Shiriko. I grabbed Shiriko's leash and the man's gaze turned towards me. I felt chills go down my spine and the hair on the back of my neck go up. There was a familiarity about him that made me feel as though I should know him. He regarded me with a look so full of expectation and longing that I felt as though he had been waiting for me, that he wanted me, e and only me, to be there, like no one else mattered in the world at that time but me. I didn't like it, not one bit. I didn't know what to do or say so I just stood there, trying to keep a calm disposition. "You made it. I knew you come. I have been expecting you," he said. His voice was as cold as his eyes but also contained that note of longing still in his gaze. I shivered despite the fact that it was relatively warm out. "Who are you? No, what are you? And what do you want?" I questioned, ignoring the fact that somehow this...person knew I would be here. "Me? My name is Nakago, and I'm a human, not unlike yourself," he replied, the smirk never leaving his face. "And as for what I want, he he, I want nothing more than to help you." "Help me?" I sneered. My attitude kicked in and I added, "You help me? HA! Yea right! Why would you want to help me?!? You don't even know me Nakago, or whatever the hell your name is!" He laughed a cold, evil laugh and I felt the chills again. I definitely didn't like or trust this guy. "I do want to help you. You want to escape this world, find a little excitement, don't you? I can make that happen. And all I need is for you to do a little something for me in return." I didn't like what he was getting at. Do a little something for him in return? Perv. "Ha! I knew you wanted something! Well look here, mister, I do want to escape this world but I don't think you can help and I'm sure I won't like whatever you want me to do for you," I retorted, trying my best not to look as scared as I felt. "I can help. And all you have to do in return is help me sometime in the future. Do we have a deal?" he held out his hand so we could shake on it. Shiriko snarled at it and bit him. I was proud of my little warrior. "Beautiful beast you have there. It'd be a shame if something should happen to it." He smiled at me and pointed his palm at Shiriko. A blue light formed and spread around Shiriko. He whimpered and then I felt his body go stiff. "Shiriko!" I cried. "What did you do to him? If he's dead..." I couldn't finish my threat. 'What could _I_ possibly do to _him_?' "He's not dead. I simply paralyzed him. He'll be fine once you answer. Do we have a deal or not?" That smile was really starting to piss me off. I had a bad feeling about this. As a child, I learned to listen to these feelings and refine them until they were almost perfect predictions. This time, I was worried about Shiriko and I was sure he would kill him or harm me if I didn't agree to it. "What do you need help with? I cannot answer if I don't know what I'm agreeing to." "All I want is for you to go to the land of Konan for a little while. Stay there and learn all you can about the Priestess of Suzaku and her plans. Then send me reports with this." He took off an earring and handed it to me. "You can talk to me using this. When you learn something of importance, push this to start it and a picture will appear. Talk into the bead and I will hear you." "How will I get close to this Priestess? If she's important than I'm sure she will be under heavy guard." I was still hesitant. If any normal person told me to talk into an earring while spying on some priestess for a god I didn't know in a country I was pretty sure doesn't exist, I would assume they were insane but this guy...I had no choice but to believe. "She will know that you are from a different world also and probably be very interested in you. I can transport you to Konan's capital but the rest is up to you. Oh yes, one more thing. Make sure that no one, especially not the Priestess finds out about our deal or I will have no choice but to terminate it and possibly destroy you. Do we have a deal or not?" He was still smiling, even as he said he would destroy me, as though this were no more than a simple business transaction and had no doubt in what my answer would be. Even under that exterior, I couldn't help but think he was getting irritated with my questions. I took a deep breath and answered, "Yes, we have a deal. I'll go to Konan." "Good." He waved his hand and the blue light around Shiriko vanished. "I expect a report as soon as possible." I nodded and he waved his hand again. The same blue light surrounded me and Shiriko moved closer towards my body. I watched as the trees and even Nakago faded before my eyes into this pale blue world. Then all the blue faded and I landed with a loud "thump" onto the ground. I slipped out of consciousness due to the blow. Author's Note: Smack: What will become of Yume in this strange land known as Konan? Tasuki: Stop trying to sound all mysterious and stuff. Like you don't know what's going to happen. Geesh... Smack: Shut up! I know I know what's going to happen! But I have to sound mysterious! It's my job. Tasuki: Yea, yea, yea. Sure... Smack: Well, I suppose I'll just go now. Until next time, the exploits of Tasuki the job less!!! Tasuki: Ha ha ha. Smack: Just kidding. The real next time, Yume's exploits in Konan! Weee! :: runs around in circles:: 


	2. A Whole New World!

Disclaimer: I still don't own Fushigi Yuugi. But I do own Yume and Shiriko and...um... some other stuff! Tasuki: Now that was convincing! Smack: Shut up... Smack's Thank Yous! Otaku Pitcher: Wow! Thanks so much for being my first reviewer! Also, thanks for the great encouragement and review! I think that's the first review I've ever gotten that actually commented on the quality of the writing not just the story. mini: I DON'T HAVE 4 CHAPTERS TYPED UP YET!!! ONLY 2! Author's Note: Smack: Here's the second chapter! Poor Yume! Getting blackmailed by the evil Nakago and sent into a strange world. What will she find? I was supposed to tell you more about when this takes place, wasn't I? Well, I don't know how to describe it exactly. All of the warriors have been found, Suzaku's that is, and they are staying at the palace. Also, Amiboshi was discovered already. I don't know how else to explain it. I guess time will tell when exactly it takes place. Tasuki: Well that's good because we know you won't... Smack: :: looks at Tasuki evilly:: You'll regret saying that. Just wait... Tasuki: :: looks scared:: Help! On the off chance one of these fine characters is capable of thought, their thoughts will be represented like this: '...' Chapter 2: A Whole New World! (I know...it's so original, ain't it?) I awoke in a dark alley I could only assume was in Konan. Shiriko was standing next to me. My bag was a few feet away. "At least you're with me. What happened?" My head felt funny and I had trouble getting up. I went to grab my bag when an earring rolled out of my hand. "Nakago." I remembered what had happened, what I had agreed to. It wasn't like I wanted to agree to it. But if I didn't... I shuddered at the thought as I put the earring in my bag and looked around. I didn't know what to make of this place. Everybody was dressed in weird old clothing, and it seemed to be a thriving ancient city. "So this is the 'new world' Nakago promised me. What a strange place..." I muttered. Shiriko and I walked around, taking in all the sights and sounds. The streets were crowded with people, all hurrying to go wherever they needed to be. Peddlers filled the streets, shouting their wears. The buildings were all pretty much the same, wooden and also filled with people. The people on the street who gaze me more than a passing glance looked at me weird, probably due to my clothes. They backed away hesitantly when they saw Shiriko. His leash was wrapped loosely around my arm, but he was staying with me. He doesn't like new, strange places, either. He eyed the peasants suspiciously, his lips curled up, revealing his pearly whites. I passed a group of old ladies and at the sight of my clothes and Shiriko I heard them mutter something that sounded like "it must be witchcraft." 'Great I just get here and already a bunch of old ladies are convinced I'm a witch. I'll be tossed in a lake or burned at the stake before sundown. Well, as long as nobody pops out and yells at me, I think I'll be safe.' "Hey you! Girl! Stop right there! We want to talk to you!" Two men came rushing out of the crowd towards me. 'Oh no! What if they ask me about my clothes and Shiriko? How can I explain this? They'll think I'm a witch for sure.' "Shiriko! Run!" Shiriko took off, pulling me with him. My strength must have returned during the time I was passed out because I was able to run at his pace for a lot longer than I thought I could have otherwise. We reached an empty field, just outside the city, but they were close behind us. Two guys on horses appeared, followed by a girl. One guy looked kind of like a woman but still looked important and had long brown hair tied back at the bottom with a red ribbon. His clothes, though strange for sure, screamed wealth. The other man had long turquoise hair pulled into a braid and was dressed like the first. I didn't have time to notice too much about them, seeing how I was still being pursued. The two men pulled their horses right in front of me, blocking my path. I turned to run the other way, but found the two guys from before standing there. They had me completely surrounded, although the girl looked like she didn't want much to do with this. I think she felt sorry for me or maybe I scared her. I wasn't sure but as soon as she saw me, she froze up and an expression of shock came over her face. I looked around like a trapped convict. I had no way out. 'This is what I get for listening to what some weird guy in the middle of a forest says.' Shiriko never did like being closed in. He started to snap and snarl at the horses, showing off his huge teeth. His hair was standing straight up on his back and he looked pretty scary. The girl drew back her horse just as Shiriko attacked it. The horse reared up and tried to hit Shiriko with its hooves but Shiriko just dodged and continued snarling. The boy with the turquoise hair grabbed the reins of the girl's horse and she said something that may have been "thank you." The wooziness was beginning to return and my head felt funny from the bump. I couldn't understand or hear what they were saying and that disturbed me. The brown haired man said something and the girl said something back. They argued for a little while until the man sighed in defeat. He then said something to the two guys behind me and one grabbed my arms. I struggled to get free and eyed the people in front of me with pure hatred. I had the feeling I must look like some sort of caged animal or villain but didn't really care. My attempts at freeing myself from their grasp didn't work. "Let me go!" I managed to yell. A blue-haired one leaned in and whispered, "I'm sorry." I felt something hit my head and I heard the girl scream. I felt my body fall and heard Shiriko's barking but then it all went black. I awoke alone, in a place so cold and dark that I could only guess was in a dungeon. "Great...I just get here and already I'm in the dungeon," I murmured, rubbing the back of my head. "At least they didn't put me straight on the stake and burn me." I looked around and found my bag. I couldn't find any sign of Shiriko, though. A single tear rolled down my cheek. "Shiriko..." I knew what Shiriko must have done when they hit me. I heard him bark. 'What if they killed him? Who would protect me now?' Maybe that was what the girl and guy were fighting about. The guy wanted to kill Shiriko and didn't want the girl to be around. But she refused to go, so maybe they didn't kill him. Or maybe they killed him anyway... 'I hate not knowing!' I knew grieving for my lost friend wouldn't get me too far so I began to plot escape plans. After plotting like 100 ideas that could never work, I sat in a corner of the cell silently crying. I was defeated. Just then, a door opened and the two men from before appeared. They stopped and talked to the guard. I still couldn't understand all that well but I assumed they were talking about me. When the guard pointed at me and the men nodded, my suspicions were confirmed. The two men approached my "cell" and the guard unlocked it. The guard then walked away and left me alone with those two. I got up and looked them up and down. One had orange hair and was wearing an awesome blue cloak with black trim. 'Damn, he's fine...' I thought, eying the stranger. 'But also the reason I'm a prisoner in the first place!' I reminded myself. The other's light blue hair defied gravity as three strands stuck up. He was wearing a weird hat and carrying a strange pole. I looked from the two men to the doorway of the cell and attempted to figure out the distance. 'If they come at me, I might be able to run and lock them in,' I decided. They didn't move any closer, well, the orange haired tried but the other stopped him. He said, "The Priestess will see you now." I looked up. 'Priestess? Maybe it's who Nakago wanted me to find out about.' But that was not my priority. "Where's Shiriko?!? What'd you do to him?" I demanded. I wasn't scared of them. Well, not really. I mean, I'm not really strong but I can fight. Besides, I'm fast. They looked at each other than at me. "Shiriko?" the orange haired one asked his friend. The blue haired one responded, "You mean that beast that was with you before?" I nodded. "We were going to kill him but the Priestess said it only attacked because it was worried about you and that it was your pet. She has it with her now." "She can't have him! I don't care if she's the fuckin queen of the world! Shiriko is mine..." "You're a little spit fire aren't you? Are you unaware that you are a prisoner? No one cares what you have to say so shut up," the orange haired one said, smirking. 'What an asshole!' I moved towards him and slapped him across the face. "I may be a prisoner but I don't have to take your shit, asshole!" I snapped. "As far as I'm concerned, you're no better than me. What right do you have to pull me off the street and take me here?" "Why you little..." he started but his friend cut him off. "Well, well, well, Tasuki. I think you finally met your match. Don't be too hard on her, though, or she might leave and then we'll never know. Anyway, she's obviously not from around here so she's probably just confused and worried about her pet, you know?" Then, turning to me, he added, "I'm sure she'll give him back. I'm Chichiri, by the way. And that hot head over there is Tasuki." "I'm Yume," I replied, my voice dull with embarrassment. 'What do they mean "met his match?" I'll leave if I want to leave. Being mean to me will only speed up the process. Wait...I can't leave. Not until Nakago tells me I can...' "How come I'm a prisoner? I didn't do anything." I decided to change the subject. Chichiri looked down for a minute. I don't think he really knew what to say. 'What's with his face? Why is he always smiling?' "I...I don't really know. His Majesty ordered us to bring you there. When we were chasing you before, we just wanted to talk to you. But Hotohori...I'm not sure why he made you a prisoner. Maybe because he saw that you were dressed different and could be from Miaka's...I mean the Priestess' world. Or maybe he thought you were an imposter sent hear to find out all you can about and our Priestess. And then you ran away so he probably believed that you were a spy." "Oh." I looked down again. We continued in an awkward silence. That Tasuki guy kept looking at me. "How much longer?" I asked Chichiri. "Well, just a few more minutes. They didn't want to put the dungeon too close to the living quarters, you know." "I guess that makes sense." We continued on, still in silence. Finally, Tasuki spoke up. "How come your name is Yume? Isn't that "dream" in Japanese? You don't look Japanese." I clenched my fists in anger. 'How dare he criticize me?!?' I thought as I tried to control the rage that was creeping up on me. Finally, I thought of an answer. "I often wondered the same thing. I asked my mom once and she said 'it just seemed right.' My dad said the same thing." He looked at me with a satisfied smirk. 'Oh no boy, this isn't over yet.' "How do you know what Yume means in Japanese? And how would you know what Japanese people look like?" He looked at the floor and played with his thumbs. I swear he was blushing. "The Priestess taught me a little Japanese. Not much, just what some words mean. And she's Japanese. You don't look like her so I didn't think you were Japanese. You look...different." "We're here," Chichiri announced before I could reply to Tasuki's insult. 'Maybe it wasn't an insult. Who knows with this weirdo.' They opened the doors to someone's, the Priestess' I guess, bedroom. Shiriko's leash was tied to the bedpost. 'Probably the only thing he couldn't move or break.' "Shiriko!" I yelled as I ran to him. I untied him and gave him a big hug. This may seem a little extreme but when he's the only thing you got in a strange world, you'd miss him, too. He jumped up on me and licked my face. "I was worried about you, little buddy." I swear I heard Tasuki laugh quietly at me. 'I don't care what he thinks. I can have Shiriko attack him anytime I want. Or I can just slap him again.' "So his name is Shiriko. He's a nice dog. He's very loyal to you. He caused quite a lot of trouble once Chichiri knocked you out. He even bit Tasuki." Tasuki glared at Shiriko. I just pet him lovingly. 'Good boy.' "Is he part wolf?" I turned to face the voice. She didn't look much like a Priestess in my opinion: she had reddish brown hair that was up in buns tied with these little red ribbons. She was dressed in a skirt and matching blouse. She looked like a regular schoolgirl. Well, not like the girls in my school but like the ones that go to some dumb private school or something. "Yea, he's half wolf. Thanks for taking care of him for me but if you don't mind, I think I'll take him back now." I rubbed his head and saw Tasuki give me a mean look. I winked at him. 'That should throw him off.' He almost fell over, in shock I guess. "Don't mention it." She turned towards Chichiri and the recovering Tasuki. "You guys can leave now if you want." They said good-bye and left. She sank down in a chair. "Ok, now I can really talk to you." I didn't know what to say to that. 'Really talk to me? About what?' I just stood quiet. "So where are you from, anyway?" she asked. I sat down in a chair next to her. "I'm from New York. You know, in the U.S." Her face brightened. "Really? I always wanted to go there. Is it nice?" I nodded. "I'm from Japan." She looked at the carpet. "How'd you get here?" I knew this question would eventually come up. 'How can I explain this? Nakago said not to tell anyone or...' I gulped. I didn't want to think about it. "I was walking Shiriko in the woods when I was surrounded by a blue light. I woke up in the city. Shiriko was with me though I don't know how he came." Ok, that wasn't exactly the truth but it wasn't a lie either. "A blue light, eh? Mine was red. Blue is the color for Seiryuu, the beast god of the eastern country of Kutou. If your color was blue, I wonder why you came to Konan instead of Kutou? Actually, I wonder why you even came to this world. Yui and I got here through this book called The Universe of the Four Gods and so did the other two priestesses, years before now." She looked confused. "Oh well. I don't know why you are here but I'm glad to have another person from our world with me. Wait, I don't even know you're name yet." "It's Yume." I saw her give me the look I normally get when I say my name but from a Japanese person it was too much. I quickly added, "I know I'm not Japanese. My parents just thought it fit me so that's my name." "Yume...doesn't that mean dream?" she asked. "Yup." She looked thoughtful for a minute then her stomach growled. At least, I think her stomach growled. It sounded more like a fierce roar than a growl but whatever. "Umm...why don't we go get some food? I'm kinda hungry and I'm sure you and Shiriko could use some." "Ok." "Then you can meet my other friends. After all, it is dinnertime. I'll ask Hotohori to get you a room so you don't have to stay in the dungeon. I didn't like it there, either." Author's Note: Smack: Nice Miaka, nice! So Yume gets a room in the palace...or so Miaka says! Will she keep her promise? Tasuki: Dumb mutt! How come it had to bite me? :: holds hand possessively:: Chichiri: ::covers mouth to hide laughter:: Smack: :: puts head down in embarrassment:: Because you went near Yume. Tasuki: How come Chichiri didn't get bit? He's the one who hit her... Chichiri: Because you went near her first, dummy. :: smirks:: Tasuki: Oh. Hey wait a sec! That's because you told me to grab her after you hit her...YOU TRICKED ME!!! Chichiri: You think I wanted to get bit by that thing! It's not my fault you fell for it. :: disappears into hat:: Tasuki: Get back here you evil, tricky little... Smack: :: laughs evilly:: That's all for now! Next time...dinner at the palace! Bye bye everyone! 


	3. Introductions

Disclaimer: Tasuki: Smack still doesn't own Fushigi Yuugi. Thanks to Otaku Pitcher! Shiriko is an interesting dog, isn't he? He's based on the awesome dog that lives across the street from me. (shh...don't tell...I have no rights to him, either) I don't have a dog at the moment, but on the off chance you care, I'm getting one around Thanksgiving! Also, Chichiri isn't that tricky; he's just smart enough to know that he would have gotten bit if he did that. Author's Note: Sorry this took longer. We got a new carpet and so the computer was down for a day longer than I wanted and I had a big poster to make for my dumb marketing class. Last chapter was fun, eh? I guess Miaka is very trusting. Will that bring harm to her and the seishi? Anyway, this chapter is going to be very exciting. Dinner with the whole Suzaku seishi? Who could ask for more? So, Yume gets to meet the rest of the seishi. Will they get along? **Chapter 3: Introductions...** 'Great...dinner with the Priestess' err...Miaka's friends. This should be interesting especially if Tasuki's there. I bet he's still wondering why I winked at him,' I thought as I grabbed my bag and followed Miaka to the door of her room. When she opened it, Tasuki and some purple haired guy fell flat on their faces. At least, I think it was a guy. I find it hard to tell here. "Were you two listening the whole time?!?" Miaka asked, her face red with anger. "Err...no. We were just going to...uhh...tell you dinner was ready and uhh...ask if she needed an escort back to the dungeon," the purple-haired one explained. You could clearly tell that he was lying but we went along with it. "Is that so, Nuriko? Is dinner really ready?" Miaka asked, her face dreamy at the mention of food. She snapped back to reality and added, "No, Yume will not be needing as escort back. She is coming to dinner with us. In fact, she will be staying with us until she goes back to our world. But you probably know that already because you were at the door listening in." Then, she turned to me and said, "Let's get going, Yume. Who knows how long they were sitting at the door. Dinner could be cold by now." I laughed and followed with Shiriko. "Does that beast go with you everywhere?" Tasuki asked. "As a matter of fact, yes. That is, unless you want to hold him?" I asked with fake innocence, batting my eyelashes. He backed away. "No? Well then, I guess he has to come with me." Miaka laughed and we continued on. When we arrived in the dining room, I got a mean look from just about everyone. There were two guys I hadn't seen before, along with the others I had seen but not met. I patted Shiriko and he licked my hand. I heard a cat hiss. Shiriko's ears went up. He barked. The cat ran and Shiriko tried to chase it. 'This is a great way to start dinner,' I thought with a sigh as Shiriko attempted to pull me across the floor. "Oh no. Not again. This is how we got into this mess. Shiriko! Heel!" I yelled. He stopped and I stooped to pick up the frightened cat. "It's ok little baby. He won't bother you now." The cat purred and Shiriko sniffed it. The cat just looked at him. One of the guys I hadn't meant before, a rather intimidating one with brown hair, got up and took the cat from me. He was tall and had a headband tied around his forehead. That was about the only thing I recognized of his clothing. 'They really do dress weird here.' "Thanks, miss. Tama isn't always that careful. I'm Mitsukake by the way," the man said. "You're welcome. Shiriko, while normally very well behaved, has one weakness: small animals. He always has to investigate, don't you little dumby?" I patted my friend's head lovingly. "I'm Yume," I told him. "That's all well and good but who is she and what is she doing here?" the purple haired one from before said. "She's Yume, a girl from my world," Miaka answered for me. I received "oohs" and "ahhs" and everyone stared at me like I was some kind of circus freak. "She's going to be staying with us here at the palace. I want to find out more about how and why she came here," she declared. "But Miaka! How can we just trust her like this? What if she's lying? Or even worse, what if she's another spy from Nakago? We cannot simply allow her to stay here!" the turquoise haired one questioned. 'Oh no! What if they don't believe me? Or even worse, what if they do believe me, but hear me while I'm talking to Nakago? If he's their enemy...what will I do? I'll just have to win their trust.' "She's not! How could Nakago fake those clothes? And how would he know so much about the United States? Even me and Yui don't know that much about that place!" Miaka argued back. "We will settle this with a interview. I, as emperor, will interview her first," the brown haired one spoke up. 'He's the emperor? Isn't he young?' "All the celestial warriors are welcome to attend if they want. Miaka, you will come to verify what she says." "Deal. Now, Yume," Miaka said, becoming friendly again. "We've been very rude. Already arguing about you and you don't even know our names! That brown haired man over there is the emperor, Hotohori. The turquoise haired one is Tamahome. You already met Chichiri, Tasuki, and Mitsukake so that leaves…Nuriko and Chiriko," she said pointing to the two remaining "warriors." They all said their "hellos" and we sat down. Unfortunately, the only open seat was next to Tasuki. 'Great…this trip just keeps getting better and better.' I was ignored for the most part of dinner except for the occasional comment from Mitsukake. I think he's the only civil one. Hotohori and Tamahome are convinced I'm a spy, Chiriko just doesn't have anything to say to me, and Tasuki and Nuriko just hate me. Miaka was busy talking to Tamahome. Chichiri was watching me but made no move to start a conversation. 'I think there is something between those two. Too bad, Tamahome is kind of cute...but he hates me already. I wonder if she was treated like that when she first arrived here?' "Yume?" someone asked from the other end of the table waking me from my thoughts. I looked around to find the speaker. It was Hotohori. 'Great...' "Yea?" It was more of a question than an answer but I didn't want to be rude and ask, "What the hell do you want?" to the emperor. I didn't think that would go over too well. "I was wondering if you wouldn't mind doing that interview soon. Like a little after dinner. I wouldn't want your memory to fade," he said with fake sincerity. 'He must be convinced that I'm a fake.' "Fine. I'm done eating now so can I take Shiriko for a walk before the interview? He's going to need a walk sooner or later..." I asked. "Unless you want him to...have an accident on your nice clean floor." "You may go but Tasuki has to accompany you. I wouldn't want to get lost or anything..." he ordered. "You want Tasuki to go? What if that beast attacks him like before?" Nuriko asked. "He's not a beast! He's my dog. And he won't attack unless you hurt me or I tell him to," I snapped, growing annoyed with everyone's insults on my guardian. "He's your dog? He looks like a wolf," Chiriko answered. "How do you know he won't attack you?" "He looks like a wolf because he is a wolf. Well, half wolf anyway. And he'd never attack me. He has no reason to," I responded patting him Shiriko on the head. "Now can I go without Tasuki? I promise I won't run away. Where would I go? Besides...Shiriko doesn't seem to like Tasuki...no sense in pushing our luck." I let Shiriko off the leash. He shook his head and looked around the room, smiling at the group and showing his teeth. "I insist that he goes with you. After all you said he wouldn't attack unless you told him to so there should be no problem," Hotohori stated firmly. "Why is Tasuki going? She looks semi-intelligent. She could out smart him and leave. Maybe Nuriko or I should go. Or at least go with him," Tamahome suggested, ignoring the fact that I was standing two feet in front of him. "No, Tasuki is fast so if she does try anything... Besides, those two can bond. Tasuki could use a friend," Hotohori responded. "Where would she go anyway?" "Arrg! I hate it when people talk about me like I'm not even here! It's not like I have anywhere to go! Come on, Tasuki! Let's just go!" I ordered angrily. Before Tasuki got up, I swear I heard Nuriko make a side comment to Tamahome. All I could understand was our names, "perfect," and "match." They both laughed and I got really annoyed. 'This whole world is so screwed up!' As soon as Tasuki came near me, Shiriko started growling and showing his teeth. I bent over and whispered to him, "You can't attack him now. If you do, they may never trust us." He quieted down but you could tell he didn't like the idea anymore than I did. After we left the room, I felt Tasuki grab my wrist. On impulse, I spun around, ready to hit him and Shiriko growled. "Whoa! Calm down! I just wanted to let you know that I didn't want to go with you, either," he said, giving me a weird look. It was just then that I realized my fist was about a centimeter away from hitting him in the face. 'Good thing I have fast reflexes...' I thought. I moved it and he continued, "If it was up to me, I'd let you run away and wouldn't care at all. But Hotohori doesn't seem to want you to leave so I can't let you. Don't try anything, ok? I don't want to hurt you but I will if I have to." "I wouldn't dream of running away from you," I said sarcastically. "Come on, Shiriko. Let's get going." We walked down the hallway, Shiriko behaving perfectly. 'Why couldn't he do this before? Maybe then I wouldn't be a spy in this world.' "Does this place have like an open field or something?" I asked. "Uhh...yea. It's this way." He led us through endless doors and passages until we emerged in an open garden. There were a few benches scattered around, a lake of some sort, and a lovely little gazebo type thing in the middle of the water. "This is where us warriors train sometimes," he added. 'I wonder if he's trying to impress me or something...' "Ok, Shiriko, get going." I patted him and he flew off, exploring every inch with his wolf like curiosity. I sat down on a bench and watched him for a few minutes before deciding that I should find out exactly what I had from my world with me. Tasuki seemed content just to lean on a wall, watching me. 'Whatever,' I thought as I looked down at myself checking to see what I was wearing. 'Hmm…my black short sleeved shirt with a red dragon on it.' I was wearing my fav pants too, big baggy ones with huge pockets and a hoody was tied around my waist. I still had my bag, though I don't remember what I put in there. I opened up the side pocket first. Sure enough, there was my CD player and an extra set of batteries. I always bring my bag with me when I walk Shiriko in case I get bored watching him run or something happens. I don't know; guess I'm just paranoid. I closed that pocket and searched the rest. Mostly my stuff from school was in there, you know, binders, paper, and pens...that kind of stuff. I also had a flashlight and my camera. I experiment with photography when I'm walking Shiriko sometimes. 'You can see such pretty things...' I looked up at Tasuki, who was watching me with interest now. I took my CD player out again so I could listen to music while I waited. As soon as he saw my CD player again, Tasuki asked me what it was. I explained it to him and even let him listen to some music on it. He looked just like a kid when I was explaining it to him. It was so cute... Wait! What am I thinking?!? I can't stand him! We sat in silence for a few minutes; quietly content listening to Metallica, until Shiriko came back over. "Done buddy?" I asked him. He sat down and looked up at me. "Guess so." I put him back on the leash and got up. "We should probably get back before they think something happened." "What would they think happened?" he asked. He had a playful smirk on his face and his eyes were sparkling. 'Uh oh! What's he planning?' I thought. Then it hit me. 'Of course! The headphones!' Before I could take mine off, he pulled the wire just hard enough for me to lose my balance. I fell forward, straight into him. Of course he caught me, he wouldn't want to be rude. I looked up at him. His arms were around my waist and I was leaning on him. I tried to push away but he held tight. "Let me go!" I cried. "I don't know, I kind of like it this way," he responded, never losing the smirk. I glared at him. At the same time, I had the strangest urge to kiss him. I fought it full force. I guess he decided to add on, "Not until you tell me why you winked at me." I tried to struggle again but it was no use. He was way stronger than me. I don't know why Shiriko hadn't attacked him yet. I should make him but it wasn't that bad. "Fine," I agreed, annoyed that I could so easily be beaten. He gazed down at me triumphantly. "I winked at you because I knew you weren't expecting me to and I wanted to throw you off." He looked a little disappointed. I noticed that he was a couple of inches taller than me. 'The perfect height...' the little voice in the back of my head that kept telling me to kiss him said. 'Damn hormones. Now they got voices. Curse them eternally.' "What are you two doing?" a voice from above us asked. We turned around and Tasuki released me. We were both blushing. 'Stop looking like you did something wrong!' "Uhh...nothing. Yume here fell and I caught her," Tasuki told the voice. "If it was anything else, I would have had Shiriko attack him," I added. "Suuuurrre... Hotohori wanted me to find you guys. He wanted to start now," the voice, Nuriko, replied. You could tell he didn't believe us. "We'll be right there," Tasuki told him. "And Nuriko? Nothing happened here. And if you tell anyone different..." "Yea. Right. I'll just leave you two alone and tell Hotohori that you're coming," he said in between laughter. "I guess you DID meet your match," he added before he disappeared. "WHY DON"T YOU COME BACK HERE AND SAY THAT TO MY FACE YOU FUCKIN GAY CROSS DRESSER!!!" Tasuki yelled after him, still blushing. He punched the wall. I took my headphones back and put them away. I couldn't help but laugh. "What's so funny about this?!?" "Nuriko's gay? I thought there was something... uhh...different about him, but gay?" I started laughing again, this time Tasuki laughed with me. "It's not like I'd do anything with you anyway. Nuriko's probably just jealous." We crossed the garden towards the door, laughing the whole time. Suddenly, Tasuki stopped laughing. "What do you mean it's not like you'd 'do anything' with me anyway?" he asked. "Took ya a while there, Tasuki." I stopped laughing too. "I just don't know you that well, that's all." "Oh." I think he sounded disappointed. 'Silly boy.' Author's Note: Tasuki: :: blushing:: I wasn't disappointed! So don't say I was! Smack: :: giggles:: Chichiri: Tasuki likes Yume! Tasuki likes Yume! Tasuki: :: growing angry and still blushing:: I DO NOT!!! Smack: Anyway, next time, we will be experiencing the interview of Yume. Since I'm soooo nice- Tasuki: :: mutters:: Yea right. Smack: ::vein pops out of forehead:: AS I was saying, since I'm so nice, I'll give you a little taste of what's to come. Quote: "...walked out into the hall way straight into...a wall?!? 'Owwy...When'd that wall get there?" I asked myself, rubbing my head and getting up..." Smack: Ha ha! That's all you get! Byebyes! 


	4. Conflicts and Conferences

Disclaimer: Yume: Smack owns me, but not any other things. . .except maybe Shiriko.  
  
Thank Yous!  
  
miniSmack. . .or should I say mini? Lol Cass, I know you don't get much. And thanks for the complements!  
  
Otaku Pitcher: Thanks! I'm glad I got Nuriko's reaction right on. I agree, Tama is pretty darn cute and I'm glad you liked the part with Shiriko chasing around Tama. I wasn't going to include that originally but it seemed like a good idea, (and something Shiriko would do).  
  
Lanen: And that's another Shiriko fan. * puts another mark on Shiriko's side of the fan list* Anyway, I'm glad that you think Yume has the NY spunk, (wouldn't want her to think that she has no fans. . .) Thanks for reviewing!  
  
Author's Note: This is the wonderful conclusion to the after dinner scandal! I won't keep you long. . .just have two more things to say. Did Nuriko open his mouth or be smart and shut up? Oh, if it seems like I'm mean to Nuriko, I'm sorry. I have to be until Yume proves herself and Nuriko accepts her or visa versa, you know. It's all part of the plot, I promise. (And it provides comic relief, lol.)  
  
Remember, if the character's actually think, which is basically Yume since this is in first person, it will be represented by this: '. . .'  
  
Chapter 4: Conflicts and Conferences (does someone get in a fight again?)  
  
By the time we arrived in the emperor's meeting room, we had both calmed down at least partially. When we opened the doors, however, it became pathetically apparent that some cross dresser had opened his big fat mouth! Just about everyone was laughing at us as we walked in. Out of the corner of my eye I saw that Mitsukake was not laughing. I didn't look for the rest because my concentration was broke when Nuriko said this speech, "And here they are; our newest couple, wolf girl and fang boy!" They all clapped and Nuriko bowed. Tasuki moved towards him but Shiriko and I beat him to it.  
  
Blinded by my own rage and moving with a speed unknown to me before, I lunged at Nuriko. In no time at all, I had him up in the air against a wall by his collar. I held him out, leaving just enough space for Shiriko to squeeze in. Shiriko took this as an opportunity to press his teeth against Nuriko's throat, just waiting for me to give the order to chomp down and end his pathetic excuse for a life. "If I were you," I said, keeping my voice at a deadly whisper, "I'd watch what I say and who I criticize, fag boy." 'If he didn't hate me before, he certainly does now,' I thought with a laugh. 'Who cares? He shouldn't be criticizing me.' "Shiriko, down. I can handle this one." Shiriko reluctantly backed down, sending one final snarl to the frightened Nuriko. I let go of Nuriko and he fell to the ground with a thud. He got up and walked quickly away from me. I turned to the rest of the weaklings who dare to mock me. "Just so you all know and I am no longer insulted, the only reason Tasuki was holding me was because I slipped and he caught me. Nuriko simply has an overactive imagination. I am ashamed that I have given you reason to believe him so easily. Now, can we get started or does anyone else wish to insult me?" I questioned, trying to regain my cool.  
  
"We can get started. If you'll take a seat," Hotohori answered, indicating a chair opposite him. He waited until I was seated before continuing. "In the future, please do not threaten any of us. Such behavior will make your presence unwelcome."  
  
"In the future, don't mock me and I'll have no reason to threaten you," I replied, coolly. He deserved it. I sent Nuriko another threatening glare. 'Now he'd really hate me. . .' "Just what did you want to ask me anyway?"  
  
"Well, we need to know how you got here, you know," Chichiri answered, speaking up. I don't think he was laughing at what Nuriko said, either.  
  
"I already told Miaka! I was walking Shiriko in the woods by my house when a blue light surrounded me. Next thing I knew, I woke up downtown with my bag and Shiriko," I explained.  
  
"Do you have any other proof of your story other than your clothes, beast, and bad manners?" Nuriko asked, sending me a challenging gaze.  
  
"As a matter of fact, I do," I answered calmly, returning the challenging gaze with one of my own. I got up and placed my bag on the table. I was about to show them something when Tasuki interrupted.  
  
"She has this weird thing that plays music when you put these shiny disks in it. . ." he exclaimed, his face growing large with childlike excitement.  
  
"Tasuki, we need her to prove it, not you," Hotohori said, growing annoyed with this whole meeting.  
  
I got out my CD player and Miaka got excited. "God I miss mine!" she cried. "If only I remembered to bring it back with me last time. . . Hotohori, there's no way Nakago could have faked this," she added. Then, she pointed to my camera and said, "Oh I'm so glad you brought a Polaroid! I forgot to bring that, too. . ."  
  
"Alright. I suppose these objects are good enough evidence. You may stay here. Do you have any other clothes?" Hotohori asked, giving me a quizzical look.  
  
I looked down at the floor. "Well. . .no. I didn't know I was going to end up in some strange world so I didn't pack properly, sorry."  
  
They laughed at me and Tasuki said, "Well I guess you really couldn't do much."  
  
Miaka came over and whispered, "I had the same problem. Once you get your room, I'll see if I have some that you can borrow until Hotohori can get you some."  
  
"Thanks a lot, Miaka," I said, truly thankful.  
  
Most of the group chose not to accompany me to my room. Only Tasuki, Miaka, Tamahome, Chichiri, and Hotohori came. Tamahome and Miaka were holding hands and were in the middle of the group. In the lead were Hotohori and Chichiri, obviously involved in some kind of serious discussion. Tasuki, Shiriko, and I were at the end of the group. I didn't know why Tasuki came with us or why he was staying with me. 'He's such a confusing guy,' I thought as we walked along. "About before. . ." Tasuki started, waking me from my thoughts. "I didn't mean for Nuriko to see it. Or for him to open his mouth and spread lies about you like that. And I didn't mean it like it looked, honest."  
  
I sighed and looked at him. He looked completely sorry, more sorry than you'd expect. "Don't worry about it. I think Shiriko and I made our point." I patted my pet's head lovingly.  
  
"I guess you could say that," he responded with a childish grin. I was beginning to learn not to trust that look. "I didn't realize that you were so strong! It takes a lot to catch Nuriko off guard."  
  
"He pissed me off," was my simple response. 'To think I would so easily fall for someone like that! This isn't like some dumb book where everything happens perfect and the heroine falls for the gallant young man. I'm not like that and we're not in a book. Or are we?' I continued petting Shiriko, more by habit than anything else.  
  
"Why are you so attached to that wolf? What'd he ever do to be so important to you?" Tasuki suddenly blurted out. Somehow, I had anticipated this question from him. "I'm sorry. . . I didn't mean for it to come out. . ."  
  
"He's done a lot for me!" I cried, sounding more emotional than I would have liked. I quickly added, "I found him one day in a bag floating in a river in the woods by my house. There were five other pups in the bag but only one other was alive, his sister. I rescued them and saved them. Who knows how long they were floating in the river? The vet said that they would have died soon if I didn't save them when I did. His sister was given to a friend of my mom. A couple years later, the bully at my school followed me home but Shiriko saved me. I don't think I'll ever find a better protector anywhere. Or someone as willing to risk them self for me."  
  
"I'm sure who'll find a guy who will be there for you. Don't you have someone at home?" he asked, looking down so I couldn't see his face.  
  
I blushed. I don't know why but I felt weird being with him now. "No. . .Shiriko didn't seem like of any of my boyfriends, not that any of them were serious; normally just one date or two. I trust his judgment, and if I didn't, I usually regretted it," I answered. It may have been my imagination, but I think I saw a spark of hope flash through his eyes when I mentioned not having a serious boyfriend. "Besides, how can I expect someone to protect me when most of them can't even help themselves?"  
  
He moved closer. "I hope you find someone who will protect you. . ."  
  
"We've almost reached your room," Hotohori announced. He pointed to the room at the very end of the hall. I walked in it and looked around. The first thing I noticed that it was smaller than Miaka's room. Not that I really cared about the size. It also wasn't my style. But hey, beggars can't be choosers, can they?  
  
I was suddenly flooded with a serious pang of homesickness. 'I miss my room. . .' I wonder if they even realize I'm gone yet? Wait, I said I might go to Cass' today. Plus, my parents were gone for the week and so was my brother. They won't know until it's possibly. . .too. . .late. "Well, Yume. Should I see if I can find you some clothes? Maybe tomorrow we can get you some or something," Miaka asked in her usual cheerful voice. I wonder how she stands it all. Do her parents worry about her? Doesn't she get home sick?  
  
"Sure. That'd be great!" I replied. "Do these guys go with you everywhere?' I asked, gesturing towards the watching warriors.  
  
"Well, sometimes," Miaka answered, sighing. "I don't think this would interest them much, though."  
  
We, Miaka and I that is, went down the hall to her room. I don't know the whole story, but either Miaka is an awesome tailor and can generate material from our world or she packed for this trip. She had a lot of clothes from our world. 'Mostly dresses and skirts, though. Is that all this chick wears?' I noted. "I ended up back in our world at one point. Before I came back, I packed some stuff into a bag," she told me. "Let's at least see if we can find you some pajamas and clothes for tomorrow."  
  
I found some "normal" pajama pants and a shirt for tonight. They were pink though. . . 'Oh well, like I said before, beggars can't be choosers.' I found a pair of jeans, (yes! Something I knew!), and a blue tank top. "Can I borrow these?" I asked, clutching the only garments I didn't mind and were used to.  
  
"Sure. I don't wear the top much and I can't let you go without pants!" Miaka replied, smiling.  
  
I thanked her and walked back down the hall to "my" room. 'At least I have my own room,' I thought as I walked into the strange room where I'd be staying. I found Shiriko patiently waiting next to my bed. "Hey buddy! I gotta get you a bed too, huh?" I said to him. (Yes, if you haven't realized it yet, I do talk to animals. . .) I looked around the room for something that I could use for a bed. I noticed a closet and decided to look in there. They normally put extra blankets in the closet, right? But there was nothing in there, either. 'I'll just ask someone for an extra blanket.' I walked out into the hallway straight into. . .a wall?!? "Ow. . .When'd that wall get there?" I asked myself while rubbing my head and getting up, waiting for my vision to refocus.  
  
"Oh! I'm so sorry, Yume! I wasn't watching where I was going! Are you ok?" the wall asked. Wait, since when can walls talk? And how does this one know my name? Something fishy is going on. My vision was slowly starting to refocus and I saw three Mitsukakes and three Tamas.  
  
"Huh? Mitsukake? Why are there three of you and Tama?" I asked, rubbing my eyes. I realized that there was only one Mitsukake and one Tama. "Uhh. . .I was just looking for you!"  
  
Mitsukake looked surprised. "You were? Well, what can I help you with?" he asked. Tama jumped off of his shoulder and onto mine.  
  
"Actually, I wanted to make a bed for Shiriko but I couldn't find any blankets or anything in my room."  
  
"I know where to find some blankets. Follow me." He led me through the endless hallways. I'm glad Mitsukake was the one I ran into: I don't think the other "celestial" warriors like me too much. We barely talked, but that suited me fine; I'm not that big of a talker sometimes. We eventually arrived in a room full of blankets and pillows. "Just grab whatever you need. I don't think anyone will care."  
  
"Thanks a lot, Mitsukake." I grabbed a pillow and a blanket and we headed out again. When we were about half way back, we ran into Hotohori. 'Ugh! What now?' I thought as he approached us with an angry expression on his face. 'Does he know?'  
  
"Was your room not adequately supplied with blankets?" he asked. "Or pillows?" he added eyeing the extra pillow. 'I may not have known any back home, but it seems like emperors can be so stuck up.'  
  
I opened my mouth to say something back but Mitsukake beat me to it. "No, your majesty. Tama dirtied the sheets in my room and Yume was helping me bring new ones back new ones," he said very politely.  
  
"Oh, well, in that case. . . I'm sorry. Good bye you two," Hotohori responded while walking away. I think we embarrassed him. Ha!  
  
"Why'd you tell him that?" I asked once we were out of earshot.  
  
"Do you think that the emperor would be happy if I told him that they were for a dog? Besides, you aren't on exactly 'good' terms with him as it is," he responded.  
  
"That's true, I guess. Well, thanks," I said as I walked towards my door. "Goodnight."  
  
"Your welcome, good night." He walked away. Part of me was sad to see him go. He reminded me of my niisan, when he felt like being nice, anyway. I shrugged it off and went back into my room, putting the blankets down on a table.  
  
"There you go, Shiriko." I made a small bed in a corner but Shiriko wasn't ready to go to sleep. It had gotten dark fast, and I didn't really want to walk him if I had to. He pranced around the room, obviously still full of energy. "Didn't you even get a little tired from the walk before?" I asked him out of frustration. He jumped in the air and barked. "Well, it was short so we can go on another, ok? Let me just get my flashlight." He barked again. "Ok! We'll go!"  
  
I took him out into the hallway and we walked down it, towards Miaka's room. As we passed, I overheard part of a conversation. "I can't believe you trust her, Miaka! I saw her and Mitsukake walking back to her room with blankets and she has him completely under her control! I guess Tasuki wasn't enough for her! I wouldn't trust her at all. I think she's more than she says she is." I recognized the voice immediately. 'Tamahome. . .Does he really think that I want to control Mitsukake? Damn Nuriko! I haven't even been here for a day and I already have a reputation of being a slut!'  
  
"Don't say that, Tamahome! I don't think Yume is like that! We can trust her. She's only acting a little weird because she's in this new world and all of you are already judging her! You didn't so that with me!" 'Miaka barely knows me and she still sticks up for me. . .and against her boyfriend too.' I suddenly felt very grateful towards Miaka, even if she was a little too girly for me. "I'm going to go and talk to her. She could probably use someone to talk to." Uh oh! That means I better leave. I started to walk again, hoping that I could turn the corner before they left. I heard the creaking of a door opening. Shit! "Oh, Yume. What are you doing out this late at night?" Damn. . .I didn't make it. Curse my infernal bad luck!  
  
  
  
Author's Note:  
  
Smack: Am I evil or what? Now you have to go around wondering what's going to happen!  
  
Yume: I can't believe Tamahome would say something so mean about me.  
  
Tasuki: Get used to it, girl. You should see how he used to treat Miaka. By the way, was I not good enough for you or something?  
  
Smack: Shut up, Tasuki! You know Yume wasn't trying to control Mitsukake! And you know that at the moment, she can't stand you! Get over yourself! Anyway, here's a hint of next time. . .  
  
"What if that's not all I wanted?" he asked, that playful smirk back on his face. 'No. . .not again.' I turned away.  
  
Yume: What's going on? Are you trying to tell me that I'm going to be assaulted again? By who now?  
  
Smack: Can't tell! It's no fun to reveal the future, is it? One more thing: is Shiriko the most popular character in this fic? It seems like all of you guys like him. But that's good since he is a main character and all. You might get mad at me in chapter five if he is, but I hope not. Byebyes everyone! 


	5. Midnight Encounters

Disclaimer: Yume: Luckily for us, Smack does not own Fushigi Yuugi. If she did, the anime would suck 'cause she'd run out of ideas.  
  
Thanks to the following people:  
  
Otaku Pitcher: I'm sorry about making you wait a while. I've just been busy and have a short attention span so I kept getting sidetracked while typing up this chapter. Chichiri is an awesome character and thanks for the bonus points, but like I said, all of you will be disappointed in this chapter because I'm mean to Shiriko. (It has to be done, sorry) Oh, Yume doesn't have Tasuki yet, they get along ok, but that's it.  
  
Lanen: Yea, I guess Mitsukake does know how far someone will go for an animal. I'm glad you liked the Mits being a wall thing, it made sense to me. (But a lot of weird things make sense to me, so I guess that doesn't count) Yume does seem to have bad luck, doesn't she? I guess I'm a little mean to my characters, but you haven't seen anything yet. (Wait 'til the next chapter, and the one after that, then I'm really mean. But it serves the plot.)  
  
Author's Note: Here is the much-awaited chapter 5 in which Yume is found listening in on Miaka's and Tamahome's conversation. Well, she catches her retreating. How will the wily girl get out of this one? Something happens to Shiriko in this chapter, I'm not telling you what but something does happen. Yume also contemplates her current situation. Actually. . .she doesn't but I don't want to give too much away. On to Chapter 5!  
  
Yume's thoughts will appear like this: '. . .'  
  
Chapter 5: Midnight Encounters!  
  
"Oh, hi Miaka. I'm just taking Shiriko for a little walk. He's full of energy so he needed one," I answered, trying to hide the hurt and anger in my voice.  
  
"So soon after the last one?" I heard Tamahome remark. "I told you something was up. She's probably supposed to meet Tasuki or Mitsukake or someone else," he whispered to Miaka.  
  
"Well, I have to get going. I'm tired and the sooner I get this walk over with, the better," I stated. I was on the verge on tears, but I refused to cry. 'I will not be seen as weak by him.' I turned to walk away and heard Miaka's footsteps behind me.  
  
"I'd like to come, if you don't mind. There's so much I want to ask you, you know, about our world and how things are going there. Besides, you shouldn't go out by yourself in the dark," she said as she caught up.  
  
"I don't mind, but you have Tamahome here and I wouldn't want to intrude. I have my flashlight so I will be able to see fine," I answered, hoping she'd back out or at least not bring Tamahome with her. I have nothing to say to him.  
  
"Oh no, Tamahome doesn't mind, do you?" she asked, or rather, ordered.  
  
"Why doesn't she ask Tasuki to go? Or better yet, Mitsukake?" he muttered. I felt my cheeks grow hot. He was really pissing me off.  
  
"Come on, Yume, let's go. If Tamahome wants to stay here, he can: alone." She followed me down the hallway. "He can be such a jerk sometimes. Watch, he'll come. Just give him a minute."  
  
"Hey! Wait up!" he called after us. We heard him run to catch up with us. "I wouldn't want anything to happen to you, Miaka."  
  
So the four of us embarked on our little journey. Truth is, I'd rather have been alone. It's so much more peaceful being alone than walking with someone who hates you. But what can you do? I decided to look up at the sky, for any signs of stars. I was met with a huge, beautiful tapestry of glowing lights. The moon radiated down and reflected onto the water creating a spectacular sight. . .at least to someone who can't normally see the stars. I gasped, unable to stop myself. "It's so beautiful. . ." I murmured. I didn't think that anyone would hear me, or that they would respond if they did, but Miaka heard and responded.  
  
"Yea, they are so nice out here. I remember the first time I saw them, I had practically the same reaction," she said, pausing to look at the stars with me. Tamahome shuffled around, waiting impatiently until we were finished.  
  
"I don't get it. What's so amazing about the stars? They're there every night," he stated, annoyed probably more at me than our new fascination with the stars.  
  
"Where we come from, Tamahome, you can't normally see them. To us, they are special," she answered. He sighed and kept silent.  
  
We continued on, Miaka and Tamahome talking, Shiriko and I silent. 'That's exactly why I didn't want them to come,' I thought bitterly, listening to the stupid giggles of Miaka. 'I hate being ignored! Although she is pretty nice, Miaka's gay giggling is getting on my nerves fast! I wish they hadn't come!' We arrived in the garden a few minutes after, and I let Shiriko off the leash. "There! Now maybe you will get rid of some of that energy!" I said, thinking out loud. I guess Miaka had forgiven Tamahome because when I turned around, they were hugging. 'She forgives people too easy. That could be her downfall someday. Or my retribution. . .' I thought. 'Na, I doubt that I could get away with betraying Nakago and live through it. After all, I am just a normal teenager.' "You guys can leave if you want. I got my flashlight and Shiriko so I should be fine," I told them.  
  
"Alright then. See you tomorrow," they said in unison. 'Wow, that didn't take much persuasion. At least they left.'  
  
I sat down, waiting for Shiriko to be done and come back to me. After about ten minutes, I decided to call him. "It's getting late, Shiriko. Come on back so we can go inside." No response. Not even a defying bark that I sometimes get. "Alright Shiriko. Get back here now! I'm not in the mood for one of your games." Still nothing. I got up and walked in the direction he took off in. "Shiriko!" I saw a flash of movement out of the corner of my eye. I turned and shined my flashlight, and found nothing. I saw another flash, this time from the other side. I turned and shone the flashlight in that direction, only to find nothing once again. "Alright Shiriko. You've had your fun and this is getting creepy. Now come on back." I decided to walk back to where I was sitting before. I heard a faint rustling of leaves behind me. 'Ok, I know there's no wind, so what is it?' I went to turn around but before I could, I was knocked to the ground. "Shiriko?!? What's the big idea scaring me like that! You big dummy!" I pet my dog and put the leash back on him. "That's enough excitement for one day, eh buddy?"  
  
As we were walking back, I noticed that he was limping slightly on his front left paw. Once we got back to our room, I lit a lamp to get a better look. 'Honestly I don't know how these people live without electricity,' I thought as I lit the lamp. As I suspected, there was a problem with his left front leg. A huge cut to be more precisely. He had blood on the front of him. "Oh my god! Shiriko! What happened to you, buddy? We gotta get a cloth and clean you up." I wasn't sure but I think that whatever did that to Shiriko, was what I kept seeing out of the corner of my eye. He protected me again. I found a cloth and cleaned him up, then bandaged it the best I could. 'It's not too late. . .I should let Nakago know that I'm in. Even if he is trying to sleep, he deserves to be woken up after all the crap he's put me through today. Besides, I don't want him calling me, that'd really blow my cover.'  
  
I decided to change into "my" pajamas first so I could go straight to sleep after dealing with him. 'I do wish I knew what time it was, though. It could be really late. As funny as it would be to wake him up, it might anger him and put my life in danger, too,' I thought as I searched for the god forsaken bead. Just as I was about to call Nakago, I heard a knock on my door. "What now?" I asked in pure frustration. Calling Nakago was hard enough, (well, wanting to anyway), without all these interruptions! I opened the door in my pajamas, expecting to find Miaka there making sure I got back ok or something. Instead, I found Tasuki. "What do you want?" I asked him, probably harsher than I needed to.  
  
"Nice to see you too," he responded. "I just wanted to make sure you were ok. I heard a lot of banging in here." He began to look around.  
  
"Oh, ok. I was looking for something to bandage Shiriko's leg with but I found something so it's ok," I answered. "He hurt his leg while we were out walking, see his leg is all-" I went to point to his leg when the bead rolled out of my hand and onto the floor. I quickly snatched it up, hoping he didn't notice. 'Yea right. Quit dreaming girl. Even he's not that stupid.'  
  
"What's that?" he asked, pointing to my closed hand.  
  
'Think Yume! Think!' "Oh, it's nothing. Just a little bead I found in the alley that I woke up in," I answered. I shrugged to emphasis its pointlessness. "I liked the color so I kept it."  
  
"It looks a lot like Nakago's earring," Tasuki said, eying it suspiciously. "But it's just a little bead so it can't do any harm, I suppose."  
  
"Who's Nakago?" I asked, playing innocent and changing the subject.  
  
"Nakago is one of the Seiryuu seven and basically their leader," Tasuki explained, growing angry. "That asshole has caused us more problems. . . He even had Tamahome's family killed! We were supposed to go on a trip yesterday but discovered his family dead. He will pay. . ." Tasuki's face shone with an anger I knew all too well.  
  
I suddenly felt ashamed of myself. 'He caused all these people loads of pain and here I am, spying on them for him. I feel like such a traitor!' "Wow, he sounds like a really evil guy. I can't believe he did that to Tamahome. . . No wonder the guy is a little testy now," I replied. 'Well, what else could I say? "Hmm. . .That's too bad. I just happen to have made a deal with him and am currently assigned to spy on Miaka. If it makes you feel any better, I had no idea no about how evil he was, this, I assure you." Yea right! They'd kill me on the spot.'  
  
"He is. But don't worry, we'll kill that asshole someday!" Tasuki declared. 'I hope they do, but if they do, will I be able to get back home?'  
  
Tasuki looked at me for probably the first time since he got here. His eyes widened and I remembered how much taller he was than me. I became very self- conscious. I was in pajamas that consisted of baggy pants and a low cut shirt that kept sliding down to an inappropriate level. Tasuki looked down at me dumbly and I pulled up the shirt. 'Fucking pervert.' "Well, if that's all you wanted, I would like to get some sleep," I stated, completely embarrassed by this whole situation. I nervously put my fingers through my hair.  
  
"What if that's not all I wanted?" he asked, that damn smirk back on his face. 'I don't trust that look. Is he playing with my mind again?' I decided not to turn away this time. 'I've got my own little trick for him.'  
  
"Well, what else do you want?" I asked, looking up at him innocently. We locked eyes and it got uncomfortable again, just like when he grabbed me before. 'Damn hormones.'  
  
He began to sweat. 'Good, my mind game is working. I probably shouldn't manipulate him like this: it will just feed the rumors but it's so easy and entertaining.' "Well, I wanted to know if I could use that CD player thing again," he answered, nervously.  
  
"Sure, let me just get my bag." I smirked at him and twirled around, leaving him in the doorway to think about my motives. I moved towards the table that I had left my bag on, but it wasn't there. 'Wait. . .there's only one table and my bags not on it.' "Where's my bag?" I asked, thinking out loud again.  
  
"Oh, you mean this?" he asked, holding my bag, a victorious smirk present on his face.  
  
"How did you? When did you?" I asked, bewildered.  
  
"Told you I was fast," he said simply. He tossed me the bag, smirking the whole time. 'Damn he looks fine with that smirk.' 'Ohh, somebody likes Tasuki,' another voice in my complex mind teased. 'No, I just think he's hot,' I answered. 'I don't like him!'  
  
I reached into my bag and pulled out my CD player, along with a little surprise for Tasuki. "Hey Tasuki!" He looked over. SNAP!  
  
"What the hell was that?" Tasuki asked, his face completely confused.  
  
"This is gonna be a good one!" I exclaimed, ignoring Tasuki and waving around my developing picture.  
  
"Hello? What the hell was that?" he repeated still angry and confused. I shoved the picture in his face. It was great! The expression (in the picture) was a combination of curiosity and superiority. "How'd you do that?"  
  
"With my camera. I can take pictures. Sort of like instant paintings that are actually accurate," I explained.  
  
"You aren't going to show anyone that, are you?" he begged. "Please don't."  
  
"I don't know: maybe, maybe not. Now if you don't mind, I want to go to sleep. Goodnight," I stated firmly. He smirked again.  
  
"You can be evil, can't you? Well, before I go, at least get my good side." I picked up my camera again. This is what I really wanted, but I knew I could never talk him into it if I didn't humiliate him first. I took the picture. "Thanks. Night, Yume."  
  
I shut the door behind him and placed my two pictures in a safe spot. "He's gone and I didn't even have to give him my CD player!" I couldn't be too happy, though. I still had to report to Nakago. I sighed and walked towards my closet. "Let's get this over with."  
  
I pushed the button, hoping it wasn't too late. A screen appeared. Nakago's face formed in the screen. "A report all ready? I guess I picked the right girl," he said. His voice hadn't lost its iciness and neither had his eyes.  
  
"It's not really a report, more of a confirmation. I wanted to let you know that I'm in the palace. The fool priestess let me in even though I knew nothing of the Universe of the Four Gods," I told him. His eyebrows went up. "Speaking of which, how come you didn't tell me about the book?"  
  
"I wanted to test your skills. I guess I did pick the right one, if you got in with them so quickly. May I ask how you did it?" he responded, looking me up and down. 'I swear this place is just crawling with perverts. What am I? Some kind of rare beauty that they all have to check out?'  
  
"I used my charm, of course," I answered. He smirked. 'God I hate that look. On Tasuki, it's fine but on him. It's just plain wrong.'  
  
"Of course. If that's all you wanted, I going to go. Next time, try not to call so late. As much as I love seeing you, I was right in the middle of something. . .hehe. . .important."  
  
I wanted to slap him! If he knew what I'd been through today. . . It angered me just thinking about it! "Sure sorry about that. It's hard to get time alone here." I "hung up" on him after that. I don't care how mad he gets! I'm tired, I'm homesick, and most of all, I'm pissed. I walked over to my bed and blew out the light. The last thought in my mind before I drifted off to sleep was of my home. How I miss it. I wonder if they noticed that I'm gone yet. . .  
  
  
  
Author's Note: (I should really change this, other people write stuff here, not just me)  
  
Smack: Here's a hint as to how much taller Tasuki is compared to Yume. He's roughly three inches taller than her.  
  
Tasuki: ::blushes:: I wasn't looking down her shirt!  
  
Smack: Sure. . . Anyway, I'm sorry about having Shiriko get hurt, but I had to do it. It seems like Yume is having a little inner crisis about the side she's on. She doesn't have the will power to switch sides yet. Nor does she have a real reason to. Here's the quote for the next chapter: (it's a long one, too)  
  
"You miss you world don't you? That's what you were thinking about, wasn't it?" he asked. I don't think he was trying to be rude or nosey, I think he was just asking.  
  
"Yes and no," I answered. He looked over at me, obviously trying to let me know that he'll listen but not pry. "I do miss my world a little, but it wasn't like I was leaving much. I was always home alone. I wasn't thinking about home, though. I was just adding salt to an old wound."  
  
Smack: Ah, yes, one more thing. The title, as it stands, the chapter title is "Nightmares and Reflections." Chichiri also gets a bigger role in the next few chapters. Ah no! I gave away too much all ready! Byes! 


	6. Nightmares and Reflections

Disclaimer: I still don't own Fushigi Yuugi. If I did, why would I be sitting here writing this?  
  
Thanks to:  
  
Otaku Pitcher: Don't worry; Shiriko does in fact get better soon. He is a major character so he's needed. Chichiri does get a bigger part in the next few chapters so I think you should be happy. Oh, the reason the story seems so planned out is because I have a lot of the chapters written up (I'm on 14 now) but I'm too lazy to type them and don't always have time. Tamahome will get better he just has to see what kind of person Yume is.  
  
Lanen: I'm sorry, Shiriko had to get hurt. It's important to the plot, I promise. I'm glad you like the camera scene, and I will take care of the double sentence, thanks for pointing it out. It goes to prove that even I, the great Smack, make mistakes. (Tasuki: Get over yourself. ::smacks Smack upside the head::)  
  
Milady: And we have a new reviewer! Thanks for reviewing! I'm glad you like the story and yes, as sad as it is, they have to be mean to Yume. Eventually, they may become nice to her but for now, they're all big fat jerks!  
  
Author's Note: I'm so sorry that this took so long! The day I was ready to put it up, fanfiction.net was down so I had to wait. Hopefully you'll figure me since this is the chapter that will change everything. Actually, it won't. There are three chapters that change everything and none of them have happened yet. (Although one is coming up rather soon. . .chapter 8 actually is the first.) This is a kind of confusing chapter; a lot of it doesn't take place in the real realm. Let's just say that poor Yume has some issues, some real issues. That's all I'm giving away for now. This chapter is just too important to give it all away. One more thing, be sure to read the end author's note. It contains a little bonus for my reviewers. . .  
  
Yume's thoughts will be represented like this: '. . .'  
  
Chapter 6: Nightmares and Reflections!  
  
I was walking through what seemed to be an abandoned house of some sort. It was extremely dark so I couldn't see well. "Mom! Tony! Shiriko! Anyone!" I called out into the darkness. I kept walking until I saw a wavy image of my mom and brother. I ran towards them, my arms out. They didn't even seem to notice me, not even as I ran straight through them. They gradually faded away, leaving me alone once more. "No! Mom! Tony! Don't go! Don't leave me again!" I cried. I stood there for a second, waiting to see if they'd come back. I decided to look for a way out; they obviously weren't coming back. 'This place is like a dark maze,' I thought as I continued to make my way through the endless halls and corridors. I thought I saw Shiriko running towards me. "Shiriko?" I called to him, but he did not hear me. He ran straight through me and continued on, until he too disappeared. I felt like crying. "Why are you all leaving me?" I asked the darkness.  
  
"Frustrating, isn't it?" an emotionless voice asked. I turned to find a figure standing behind me. I couldn't see his face clearly but that voice. . .for some reason, it sent chills down my spine.  
  
"Who are you? What is this place?" I questioned. He didn't answer; he just laughed a cold, heartless laugh. He pulled out a strange weapon, one I had never seen before. I was very exotic, the only part I recognized was a chain that connected the blades to the part he was holding. I started running, trying to escape. He swung the weapon around his head, the blades twirling, and then he swung it at me. I tried to dodge but my body wouldn't move: it was like I was frozen in place. I felt the cold blades slice through my flesh like nothing. I fell to the ground, unable to hold back the tears that were forcing themselves out of my eyes as I watched the unknown pursuer walk towards me, knowing I could do nothing but sit there and bleed. He smiled down at me and then proceeded to kick me in the stomach. I coughed and blood came out. He swung the weapon again, this time cutting me from my arm to my cheek. "Stop. . .why. . .* cough* are you. . .* cough* doing this?" I asked, struggling to speak.  
  
I didn't get a response as I struggled to get up, to escape, but found it nearly impossible. The figure stood over me, his shadowed face smirking down at me. I managed to get up, and wiped the blood from my face. It was in vain, however, because fresh blood soon poured from the wound. The skin on my cheek felt like it was going to fall off. My world started spinning, probably due to loss of blood, and I fell down again.  
  
The figure grabbed me by my hair and dragged me along the ground. The scenery changed, we were on a snow-covered mountain now. He dragged me through the snow like I was but a doll. My body grew numb from the cold as I laid there, dazed, watching as the snow around me turned pinkish red as I passed through it. We reached our destination I guess, because I was thrown against something hard, the wall of a cave, perhaps. I turned my head, numb still, and saw another figure. I couldn't see his face, either. The two started to battle as my world blacked out. . .  
  
I woke up in a strange dark room. I was breathing heavily and covered in a cold sweat. Then it hit me; I knew where I was. I longed to be home; in my bed, in my house, where my family was. 'No. . .they weren't there. If I was home, I'd be by myself. They were never home. Why would I want to go back there?' I thought bitterly. No sense staying in bed, crying over a world where you knew no one cared. I got up and checked on Shiriko. His leg looked a little better. I rewrapped it and got dressed in the clothes Miaka gave me. 'Every little thing I do makes me think of home. I hate it!' I thought, as I grabbed my sweatshirt and put it on. "I'll be back Shiriko. I just need to think," I told my pet as I left the room. 'Think. . .ha. I need to do more than think.'  
  
The ground was still covered with early morning dew and a thin layer of fog covered the world. I breathed in the fresh morning air and shivered. 'I'm glad I have my sweatshirt. It can be cold in the spring, during the morning anyway.' My mind told me it was around six in the morning. Normally, I'd love to be asleep this time of day, but today I was worried, scared actually, of going back to sleep. It was truly beautiful here, but I was too upset to appreciate it. I felt more lost and alone then I had in a long time. Not since before I had found Shiriko had I been so unsure of my life. 'You didn't tell Tasuki the whole story of your finding Shiriko,' my mind reminded me. 'I did find him in the river, but never did I mention the reason that I was at the river.'  
  
I wandered around the early morning world, oblivious to its splendor, lost in my own memories. I was being brought back to right before I had found Shiriko. 'I had just gotten into a huge fight with my mom, about what I cannot remember. I think I wanted her to be home more. No, it was because she missed my concert,' I recalled. 'I was young, only about twelve, not that that was all that long ago, and that was important to me. The fight ended with me yelling, "I hate you!" and storming out of the house.'  
  
'I was so hurt I didn't even give her time to explain,' I noticed as the memories kept surging forward. I couldn't even see the real world anymore; all I could see was my memory. I ended up at the river, I never did figure out why I went there, still crying my eyes out. I heard myself talking to someone. "God? Why don't my mom and brother care about me? How come they're never there when I need them?" I asked. I watched as my younger self sat down on a rock and tried to stop crying. My younger mind decided that they didn't care about me because I wasn't worth caring about. 'I still don't understand how my mind decided that.' My younger self got up and walked towards the water, preparing to end my life, when it saw something bobbing in the river. I heard faint whimpering as well. I swam over to the bag, this new cause omitting all thoughts of suicide from my mind. I had a feeling that I was here to save whatever was in the bag. The jagged rocks cut me but I didn't care. All I cared about was getting to the bag and bringing it back to shore. I made it back to shore, miraculously, and opened the bag. Inside were seven puppies, but I noticed that only two were moving. "Uh oh!" I yelled. "I better get home quick! I gotta save them!"  
  
Forgetting that my clothes were soaked and that my shoes were ruined, I started running back home. It was about fifteen minutes later when I stormed through the door to my house, out of breath and feeling as though I were out of time. "Mom, you have to take me to the vet quick. I found these puppies in the river and only two of them are moving." I gasped for breath, still tired from my run.  
  
"You need to change before we go anywhere. You're soaking wet!" she ordered. 'There's no time! I felt the urgency once again and practically screamed the words. 'There's no time!' my mind yelled. She gave in and handed me a towel and we got in the car. I opened the bag and took a look at the puppies, still only two were moving. One kept on nudging the other, as though it were trying to get it closer to the air hole. It made me sick. . .who could do that to any living thing?  
  
We rushed into the vet's office and up to the desk. "Excuse me," the lady at the desk said. "Do you have an appointment?"  
  
"No, but there's no time! I found these puppies in the river and only two are moving. You have to help them," I pleaded.  
  
"We better hurry. Please follow me." We took off down the hallway, towards the area marked "emergency room." I found out that only two of the puppies were alive: a male and a female. The others were dead when I found them.  
  
The vet emerged from the room, wiping the sweat from his brow. "You're lucky you found those two when you did," he told us. I had gone home to change sometime before then and had been waiting expectantly at the office for a while. "A little bit more and. . .I don't think I would have been able to help."  
  
"Can I see them?" I asked, my eyes filled with hope.  
  
"I suppose. We don't know what to do with them. Our tests have shown that they are half wolf and not many people can handle that type of dog. The girl hasn't given us much trouble; she's just been shy. It's the male we are worried about. He won't let anyone near him." He led us into a room filled with cages of all sorts and sizes chock full of a variety of animals. In a cage away from the other animals, the puppies sat. 'I remember my first reaction to seeing Shiriko. I felt drawn to him. . .like it was my job to protect him.' It was strange, this memory, it seemed like I was watching a movie. I didn't see things through my eyes.  
  
My younger self's face lit up. As I reached to pet the cinnamon and white one, the little white and gray one charged. He tried to growl, but it sounded funny. His bright blue eyes glared with complete distrust at me. I tried again but he tried to bite me. "I told you. That one doesn't want to trust anyone. If he keeps it up, we may have to put him down."  
  
My expression to changed to one of horror. "No! You can't just kill him for protecting his sister! He has no reason to trust people! Look what people did to him and his brothers and sisters!" I yelled. After a large debate, I convinced the vet and my mom to let me keep the pups until we could find homes for them. I relived the training and taming of the pups and watched as Shiriko and his sister, Kira, gradually learned to trust people again and grew up. Kira was given to a friend of my mom's but we couldn't find a home for Shiriko. Shiriko had more wolf traits than his sister, which made it very hard for us to find a home for him. The only person he trusted besides me was my family; and he didn't even trust them very much. Finally, we had no choice but to keep him. Not that I minded.  
  
"Hey Yume! What are you doing up so early?" a voice asked me, taking me by surprise and shattering my memories.  
  
"Huh? What?" I asked, looking around confused. I spotted Chichiri standing by the water, fishing pole in hand, and watching me with interest. "I couldn't sleep, I needed to think."  
  
"Yea, I understand that feeling. Whatever it was, it must have been important, you looked pretty absorbed in your thoughts, you know," Chichiri stated. His face was smiling, of course. 'I wonder how he can always be smiling. Is he really that happy all of the time? I wish I was. . .but that kind of thinking is how I got here in the first place. . .'  
  
"Do you mind if I sit with you for a little bit? I'm not done thinking but I don't feel like being alone," I asked, uncertain of the answer. 'God. . .watch, now everyone will think I'm after Chichiri, too.' My bitter thoughts were starting to annoy me.  
  
"Sure, I don't mind. It's nice to have some company once in awhile, you know," he replied and we both sat down. We sat in silence; I was too lost in my own thoughts and he was fishing. Finally, he said, "It's peaceful here, isn't it? This is my favorite fishing spot."  
  
"Yea it's nice. Nothing like home," I answered instinctively. "Home. . ." I whispered.  
  
"You miss your world, don't you? That's what you were thinking about, wasn't it?" he asked. I don't think he was trying to be rude or nasty, but it sure sounded like it.  
  
"Yes and no." He looked over at me, as though he were indicating that he would listen but not pry. "I do miss my world a little, but it wasn't like I was leaving much. I have the one thing that really matters to me with me and I was always home alone. But I wasn't thinking about home. I was just adding salt to an old wound."  
  
"Oh?" He didn't say anything else; I guess he was waiting for me to say more. I didn't. 'He doesn't need to know more. Who is he to you? We can't trust him,' my head told me. Part of me believed that I could trust him, but I wasn't ready to take that chance. He tried to change the subject. "Where's Shiriko? He's almost always with you, you know?"  
  
"He hurt his leg last night. We went on a walk before bed and he ran off. When he got back, his leg had a huge cut on it. I don't exactly know what happened," I told Chichiri.  
  
"You should take him to Mitsukake! He should be able to help. Come on, we can go get him and Mitsukake and can heal him."  
  
"Oh no. I wrapped it up and it looks better now." I didn't want to have any more guys helping me. I don't need Chichiri to be added to the growing list of "guys that I control."  
  
"Well, Mitsukake should at least take a look at it. He is a doctor, he can help," Chichiri insisted, getting up. He pulled me to my feet. No sense in arguing with him, he may get suspicious.  
  
We arrived at my room quickly and he politely stayed at the door. "Is Mitsukake even up?" I asked. 'Shiriko is limping now. Is he even worse?'  
  
"He gets up early but stays in his room," Chichiri responded. "Are you sure he's ok? He is limping, you know."  
  
"It looked better this morning." We reached Mitsukake's door and knocked on it. Sure enough, he was up and opened it. Chichiri told him about Shiriko and he tried to touch his leg, but Shiriko snarled at him. "Let me do it. It's ok Shiriko, we're just going to look at it." I grabbed his leg softly and removed the bandage. It seemed the wound had gotten worse.  
  
"I think I can help if he'll let me touch his leg," Mitsukake hinted. Shiriko understood and allowed him to put this weird old medicine on it. It must have worked because Shiriko licked Mitsukake's hand and stopped limping. "Keep it bandaged and make sure he rests it. It should be fine, though."  
  
"Thanks a lot Mitsukake!" I gave him a quick thank you hug and Shiriko and I took off. 'Maybe I shouldn't have hugged him. It will just feed the rumors. Everything I do feeds the rumors. I don't care anymore.' As we were walking away, I heard footsteps behind me. 'Must be Chichiri. Wonder why he's following me?'  
  
I turned around to see if it was Chichiri following me, but as far as I could tell, he hadn't left Mitsukake's room and no one else was in the hall. 'Oh great, not this again. I'm probably just hearing things.' I kept on walking eventually hearing a door close and more footsteps. Out of nowhere, Shiriko decided to test his recovering leg. "Shiriko! You heard what Mitsukake said! You have to take it easy! That means no running!" I called after him. 'I should have left him on the leash,' I thought as I ran to catch up with him.  
  
I experienced a case of déjà vu as Shiriko stopped suddenly and began to growl as he turned the corner. "Shiriko? What's wrong? What's there?" I asked as I started to turn the corner slowly, afraid of what I might find.  
  
  
  
Author's Note:  
  
Tasuki: You were scared of what you might find? HA! Coward!  
  
Yume: You'd be scared too, if you knew what I found the last time this sort of thing happened.  
  
Tasuki: What happened last time?  
  
Smack: She isn't allowed to tell you. ::makes Yume disappear before she can open her mouth:: Now then, what will she find when she turns that corner? What could make Shiriko go on attack mode? Anyway, here's my little hint of things to come:  
  
"We have some questions for you, Yume. It's very important that you answer with complete honesty. Do you understand?" Hotohori asked.  
  
Smack: That's all you get! Anymore and I'd give way too much away. Oh, you know that dream she had? That was based on a dream I had the night before I wrote the first part of this chapter. I thought it'd work pretty good in here. Do yourselves a favor and don't forget it, ok?  
  
Smack's Special Offer:  
  
Ok, I have four parts in the story which need filling. I haven't decided whether they will be major or minor but they will be important to the plot for a while. (And you get to boss around Miaka. Wait? Did I just say that?) One, I think, is going to my best friend, mini, but the other three and up for grabs. (And there are three of you so it works out perfectly.) All you have to do is respond in your reviews or send me mail. * grins* I love mail. Anyway, just tell me the name you want for your character, physical description, age (optional), and personality (basic. . .I can develop it if you want). One more thing, it would work better if they were girls but it don't matter. That's what you guys get for being such faithful reviewers! 


	7. A Heartfelt Interrogation

Disclaimer: I do not own Fushigi Yuugi. I do own Yume, Shiriko, the plot and any other stuff I create.  
  
Thanks to:  
  
Lanen: Yea, sorry about the cliffhanger. I love to write cliffhangers and this was too good of an opportunity to pass up. Mits is getting a pretty good role, eh?  
  
Otaku Pitcher: I couldn't keep Shiriko injured too long. It was too mean. (I can't say the same about the rest of the characters.) I forgot one thing; I came up with a name for your character. "Katana" (light breeze) seems to work for the personality you gave me. So when you see that name, it's you. Just wanted to let you know.  
  
miLady: Well, this chapter answers the "what's around the corner" question, but as for the other ones, only time will tell. You won't have to wait for long, though, because the next chapter twists the plot.  
  
Author's Note: Here's the long (well, not long but that's ok) awaited chapter that answers the "what's around the corner" question that some of you may be thinking about. Two of the character spots have been taken but you guys still have time if you're interested. It's not a SI, if that's what you're thinking; it's just a chance for you to design a character. Oh well, this isn't going to be an extremely long chapter but it's important just the same. On we go. . .  
  
'. . .' are how Yume's thoughts will be represented.  
  
Chapter 7: A Heartfelt Interrogation  
  
Who ever I thought was behind me never caught up and I prepared to turn the corner alone. Shiriko was still growling and I feared that he would soon strike. Maybe I should let him and just turn around and leave. No, that would be cowardly. I turned and saw Nakago standing there, looking at me. His gaze seemed to pierce right through my soul and I recalled the figure from my dream. I felt limp and fell to the ground. I knew not what had happened while I was unconscious but I awoke in my room on my bed. Shiriko was lying down on the bed I made for him watching me. I would have thought that it all was a dream except for the fact that I wasn't wearing my pajamas and I saw Chichiri sitting at the table. He looked terribly upset about something. Hotohori and Tasuki were there too but they were leaning against a wall. They looked upset about something, too. I didn't like the look of this. I wished that I could just drift back off to sleep but somehow, I didn't like the thought of being asleep in a room with three guys. 'I'll just play innocent,' I decided. "What. . .what happened?" I asked, sitting up and holding my head as though it hurt.  
  
"You fainted and we carried you back here," Chichiri answered, unable to look at me.  
  
"It was really nice of you all to stay here. You didn't have to. I'm ok now," I told them. 'Why are they here? What the hell did I do now?' Then it hit me. Or. . .they hit me. 'Nakago. The earring. Shit! Did they find it?'  
  
"We have some questions for you, Yume. It's very important that you answer with complete honesty. Do you understand?" Hotohori asked, not looking at me either.  
  
I searched his face for hints of what of what he was feeling. When that failed, I searched Chichiri and Tasuki. Neither would meet my gaze. The latter, (Tasuki), wouldn't even look at me. "I understand what you are asking but I do not understand why you are asking it! What did I do to cause you to question me like this?" I asked, trying to act shocked and horrified at their distrust in me.  
  
Chichiri looked up from the floor. I think he felt sorry for me but it was hard to tell with that damn smile. But even the smile wasn't that happy. "Do you remember right before you fainted?" he asked. I nodded and he continued. "Well, that was me. I transformed into our enemy, Nakago. Hotohori and the others were still a little doubtful about how you got here so they asked me to make myself look like him to test your reaction. It worked. . .you definitely reacted: in pure fear almost, with a little hint of shock. Then we found this bead on the table. It looks just like one of Nakago's earrings. Yume, if there is something you're not telling us, please, tell us now, before it's too late."  
  
I was trapped and they knew it. "Well, I don't even know how I got here so I can't really explain that. If that's what you wanted to hear, then I'm sorry. I can explain the bead, however. I already told Tasuki how I found it." I searched him for a reaction. He just looked away. "I found it in the alley where I woke up when I first got here. It was pretty so I kept it. As for my reaction," I explained, pausing for a breath. 'How can I explain this?' I asked myself. 'The truth.' "I had a nightmare this morning. That is also why I was up so early. It's a long story so bear with me if you want me to explain it."  
  
They nodded and I went on to explain the dream that kept me from falling back asleep. "In the dream, I was wandering around a house alone. I called out to my mother and older brother, but got no answer. Eventually, I saw them. They were there, but I passed through them and they didn't even notice me. They faded and I was left alone again. I kept walking and called for Shiriko. I thought he heard me because I saw him come running out of the darkness. He just ran through me and disappeared in the distance." 'This is the truth,' I thought. 'Even if it isn't the whole truth it's more than they need to know and it does explain my reaction, sort of. I can use it as a cover story.'  
  
"That's when he appeared. I heard this cold, emotionless voice from behind me. The voice was content to mock me, or so it seemed at first. I turned to see who was there, but I couldn't see the face clearly: it was covered in a shadow. I asked him who he was and what was going on and he just laughed. Even in the dream, the laugh sent chills down my spine." I flinched remembering what happened next, why I was afraid to go back to sleep.  
  
"He pulled out this weird weapon and I tried to run. I wasn't fast enough, it was all happening in slow motion or something. I could feel the weapon slice through me like I was nothing. I fell and he moved towards me, smirking down at me. He started to kick me in the stomach. I begged him to stop," I flinched again. I was about to cry. I didn't want to relive all of this. "But he just pulled out his weapon and swung it again, this time cutting me from arm to cheek. I tried to get up but ended up just falling down again. He laughed and grabbed me by the hair and just dragged me with him. We ended up on a snow-covered mountain. When we reached the top, he threw me into this rock wall. Another guy was waiting there. Then I woke up."  
  
"That guy. . .Nakago or whatever. . . for some reason he reminded me of the guy in my dream. That scared me since sometimes-" I stopped myself. What else could I say? 'Yea sometimes when I see people in my dreams, or when things happen in my dreams they happen? And because of this, seeing Nakago scared the shit out of me? Ha! They'd kill me for lying! And they'd be right, that almost never happens.' I looked up to see their reactions.  
  
"She's not lying, Hotohori. I can tell. Whatever happened in the dream really upset her. Her chi didn't change like it would if she were lying," Chichiri said.  
  
"The hell with her chi! Look at her! How could she make something like that up? She was about to cry!" Tasuki yelled, finally looking at me. This time, I looked away, towards Hotohori instead. He was the one who made the final decision, after all.  
  
Hotohori looked thoughtful for a minute. "I'm sorry about that, Yume. We had to ask you those questions. I do believe you. Both Tasuki and Chichiri had good points," he stated, finally. I would have sighed but that might have been suspicious.  
  
"Thank you your majesty," I said instead.  
  
"Let's leave her to rest. Come on Chichiri, Tasuki, we should go eat breakfast," Hotohori ordered.  
  
"I would like to talk to her for a minute. If she doesn't mind, you know," Chichiri replied, looking at me for an answer. 'Now what? What more could they want of me?'  
  
"I don't mind," I answered, lying. To refuse would be suspicious. God I hate having to think about all my actions. "But I'm not going to rest for long; I can't. There's nothing really wrong with me physically and resting won't cure the rest of me. So, I'd get way too bored."  
  
Hotohori left but Tasuki lingered for a moment. He opened his mouth as though he was going to say something but Chichiri looked at him and shook his head. Tasuki just closed his mouth and left without a word, leaving a confused me alone with Chichiri. I turned to see him watching me with interest. This whole "let's watch Yume" thing was really starting to annoy me. "What did you want to talk to me about?" I asked, growing increasingly uncomfortable under that smiling gaze.  
  
"I wanted to let you know that if you need someone to talk to, I'm here and that I'm sorry about tricking you with the Nakago transformation. Had I known about your dream, I wouldn't have done it, you know," he answered. 'He's such a nice person but I can't help but feel like he's hiding something. He's always smiling. How can someone always be that happy?'  
  
"That's really nice of you, Chichiri," I said. 'What else was there for me to say?' "Well, if that's all, I'm going to go down and get breakfast."  
  
"One more thing. You said you couldn't see the faces clearly but one reminded you of Nakago, right? I was wondering what you were going to say before, you know, back when you stopped yourself," Chichiri stated. He seemed unsure of the kind of response he'd get.  
  
I blinked repeatedly. That was not what I had expected. Actually, I knew if anyone would ask about that, he would be the one to do it. "I was just going to say that sometimes, dreams seem so real, it's almost like a picture of the future: especially because I wasn't seeing things through my eyes. I couldn't control what I was doing, like it was already decided. Then, when I saw Nakago, it seemed like it was going to come true," I answered. I shivered. I had told him the truth. I had known it the whole time but for some reason, saying it scared me. I looked at him to see that stupid smiling face. It annoyed me to no end; I couldn't tell what he was thinking about. 'Now is not the time to ask rude questions, Yume,' my mind reminded me.  
  
Finally, he spoke up. "I understand. I've had a few dreams like that. You just keep reliving them, right?" He laughed pathetically, almost as though he were hiding his true feelings. "My dreams were of the past, though. I couldn't control what I was doing. . .I was. . .powerless." He turned away, his fists clenched. I put my hand on his shoulder; there wasn't much else I could do.  
  
"I don't know what happened, but if you ever need someone to talk to, I'll listen. I'm told it's one of the few things I can do good," I offered, trying to make him feel better. He turned around halfway so I could only see half his face. He was no longer smiling and his expression seemed to be somewhere between grief and anger. "You have really pretty eyes," I added. 'God, I knew I'd say something stupid. Why do I always have to say something stupid? It's a curse, I know it is.' He blinked a few times and turned away. I think he was blushing and I knew I was. . .from embarrassment.  
  
"Uh. . . Thanks, Yume. You seem like a nice kid and I'm sure that there are other things that you're good at. Maybe someday I'll take you up on the offer and tell you about it," he said. He turned back to me, the smiling expression present on his face again. "We should probably go down to breakfast before they begin to worry about us, you know."  
  
"Yea, I suppose. But I'm not a kid," I replied, smirking. His eyebrows rose, or at least I think they did.  
  
"To me you are. How old are you? Fourteen?" he asked. I nodded.  
  
"But my birthday is in a week!" I exclaimed. 'I sound like a little kid. . .' "A week in my world, anyway." I forgot about it until now. 'Another crappy b-day spent alone again. My mom won't be home until late and neither will my brother. Maybe, since I'm here it won't be so bad.' I didn't believe it. Yet another useless hope and dream over the world where I don't matter. I don't matter much here either but at least these people know I exist enough to be suspicious of me. Back home I doubt anyone even realized I was there. 'No more crying,' I reminded myself. I followed Chichiri down to breakfast, walking bitterly, my mood ruined.  
  
  
  
Author's Note:  
  
Smack: And thus ends a rather short chapter. Sorry that it's so short but I didn't feel like getting into breakfast yet. So that was what was around the corner.  
  
Yume: What happened, Tasuki? Why did you seem so upset?  
  
Tasuki: ::mumbles:: I can't tell you. Smack told me if I did that she'd cut my pay in half.  
  
Chichiri: Uhh Tasuki? We don't get paid remember? Smack doesn't make any money off of this and neither do we.  
  
Smack: Anyway, moving on, I think it's time for my little preview of the next chapter.  
  
"Hey! Wait just one minute! I don't know who you are or what 'decision' you're talking about, but I'm not here to take crap from some-AHH! WHAT THE FUCK?!?" I exclaimed.  
  
Smack: That's a good enough quote from the next chapter. It's even from the part that changes things. Sometimes I think I'm too nice to you guys. I give you all these little hints. I practically tell you what's going to happen. Oh well, most of the time you don't pay attention to the clues I give you so it's not like I tell you everything.  
  
Tasuki: Shut up already! Suzaku! All you do is complain! They haven't figured it out so shut up! I haven't even figured it out! That's it for this chapter! No more pointless ramblings from Smack!  
  
Smack: That's the last straw, Tasuki. . . You'll pay for this, you will pay. Just wait, I'll get you back. 


	8. New Found Orders

Disclaimer: I do not own Fushigi Yuugi. How many times will I have to say this?  
  
Thank You to. . .  
  
MoO KaWaIi MoO: Hmm. . .lots of things to reply to. Uhh. . .I haven't decided if Yume and Tasuki are going to get together. You'll find out in a couple of chapters, ha ha. Yui also makes an appearance in a couple of chapters. The rest will come in time, I guess. And no, I still haven't found my four characters. There's one left.  
  
Lanen: Yea, the dream was freaky. I did not enjoy it but it works great for the story. I'm really glad that you can connect with her. (That means I'm doing something right, lol. My characters are realistic.) Mits does get a pretty good part but more as a advice giver, it seems. He doesn't seem to get much of a part in anything.  
  
Otaku Pitcher: Glad you like the name! Thanks for the compliment no the one on one conversation with Chichiri. There will be a lot of those; he's good at giving advice.  
  
Author's Note: Well here's the first chapter that changes everything! I'm not going to write much of an author's note except I have to warn you that while it does change everything, to the un-attentive reader it may not be so important. To the rest of you, who pay attention, this chapter will be chockfull of important hints at the future. SO, without further ado, I present to you, Chapter 8.  
  
'. . .' ( Yume's thoughts  
  
Chapter 8: New Found Orders  
  
We arrived at breakfast just as everyone was finishing up. We, well, I, received suspicious glances from Nuriko and Tamahome. Tasuki didn't even look up when we entered. 'Great. . .what'd I do now?' I asked myself as I sat down. "Where's your beast this morning? Or have you found another new protector?" Nuriko sneered. 'I'm not going to let him get to me. I'm not going to let him get to me.'  
  
"He hurt his leg last night on a walk. Mitsukake told me to make sure he rests so that he'll fully recover," I answered calmly. My voice may be calm but I was boiling on the inside. 'Maybe now he'll leave me alone. Yea right. Like that's ever going to happen.'  
  
Guess it was Tamahome's turn at the fun new game "Let's See Who Can Piss Yume Off First" because he was the next one to speak up. "What were you two talking about up there?" he asked, smirking. He put a sarcastic emphasis on "talking."  
  
I guess Hotohori figured I was tortured enough for today because he spoke up in defense of me. "I do not want this discussion continued here. Nor do I think that Yume has to repeat last night and make an example out of you this time, Tamahome. She has given you no reason for you to speak so ill of her," he stated.  
  
"Except for the way she dresses and acts! Would you look at what she's wearing? That type of garment is completely inappropriate for any real lady," Nuriko responded angrily. "And you sticking up for her only strengthens our argument. Has she gotten control of you as well?"  
  
I was really pissed now. First of all, the clothes that I'm wearing are the ones I borrowed from Miaka so that part of his argument didn't make any sense unless he planned on calling Miaka a slut too. Plus, I've basically been trying to keep to myself (for obvious reasons) and it's not like it's my fault that no one will leave me alone. I got up to leave, even though I didn't get to eat anything, and saw that Miaka had done the same. "You guys are so mean to Yume! She's not like that at all and I'm sick of you saying that she is! All you've done is make fun of her and she has to sit there and take it! It's not fair and it's making me sick! You didn't treat me like this when I got here!" she yelled. "Come on, Yume. Let's go. These two," she said gesturing towards the baffled Tamahome and Nuriko, "have made me lose my appetite."  
  
"Miaka! Wait!" Tamahome called after us. All he was met with was a slammed door.  
  
As we walked away from the room, Miaka started laughing. "What's so funny?" I asked. To me, this was no laughing matter.  
  
"I can just see their faces in there! Me, not hungry? That must have threw them off!" she answered. "But seriously, they're ridiculous, they really are. You and Tasuki I could see, but Mitsukake and Chichiri? They're way too old for you and Hotohori is still stuck on me." That was a harsh way of putting it. I thought there was something going on between them.  
  
However harsh it was, I couldn't help but laugh a little too. "Nothing even happened between us! It's so annoying how everyone insists that something did!" I replied.  
  
She ignored my last comment and continued on. "It was hilarious last night when you caught Nuriko off his guard like that! I almost burst out laughing!" Miaka exclaimed. She then turned serious and gave me a suspicious look. "Are you sure nothing happened between you and Tasuki? He seemed awfully upset this morning. . .Do you think that all those comments got to him?"  
  
"Maybe. I noticed, too. He wouldn't even look at me. I think something else happened this morning when I fainted. I have a hunch that something did but I'm not sure." I shrugged. "And I'm sure that nothing happened between us. As far as I know, Tasuki doesn't even like me that much."  
  
Miaka just smiled. You know, one of those "I'm not so sure" smirks that make you think. "If you're going to be here for a while, I suggest that we get you some clothes from this world," she said. "It'd probably be better if you brought as little attention to yourself as possible. I know you probably won't like this but that means dresses."  
  
I made a face of utter disgust. "Oh well. Where are we going to find these dresses you speak of?" I asked in a fake accent that made her laugh.  
  
"Well, I suppose we should check the harem. Or we could buy them but that would mean asking Hotohori for money and I don't think that I should go back in there for a while." Out of nowhere, my stomach roared. 'I'm so hungry. . .why couldn't they insult me after I ate?' "They might have food there as well. Poor Yume, you didn't even get to eat."  
  
"Eating would be great right now," I replied. Turns out that they did have food at the harem. Good food, too. Why they had food there, I did not know but then again, I didn't care, either. I found a few ok dresses among the rejects. The ladies even gave me a brush! (I didn't have one in my bag () Miaka showed me a place to take a bath and left me to do just that.  
  
The water felt really good. I got out and found that someone had taken all my clothes and left me a dress and some underwear. 'Creepy. . .' I thought as I got redressed. 'Miaka said something about going to town. I can't wait to see the rest of this place!' I proceeded to attempt to style my wet hair. Didn't work too well so I tried to put it up in ponytail with a ribbon that was left with my clothes. The two pieces of hair that I died hung down around my face, framing it. 'They never cooperate. Oh well, at least the ribbon matches.' As I wandered back to my room, I couldn't help but wonder what I looked like. On the bright side, I was getting better at finding my way around, I only got lost twice.  
  
My other clothes were on my bed. 'So that's what happened to them. I still wish I knew what I looked like,' I thought with a sigh. 'Ah ha!' I looked into my bag and pulled out my assignment book. I looked into the mini mirror. 'Not my style, but not too bad.' I flipped through the book until I found the last page I used. 'Friday, March 16th. I had French, math and global homework. I have something written on the 19th, too. "Mom and Tony leave for week." That was yesterday, wasn't it? One week to my b-day. Unless time doesn't flow the same here as they do in my world. Then it could be more or less. I don't know why they switched spring break to this week, but it's a good thing that they did. Or is it?' I became fascinated with the thought that if they didn't switch the week, the school would call home. 'They would figure out that I wasn't there. They'd probably look for me. Of course, they wouldn't be able to find Shiriko or me. They'd probably even pronounce me as a runaway or even. . .dead.' That last thought scared me. When my week is up, that is exactly what will happen. I knock on my door broke my thoughts. 'Must be Miaka. Going out will be good for me, I suppose.' "Hold on a sec, I'll be right there."  
  
I answered the door, expecting to find an excited Miaka, but found an anxious Chichiri instead. "Yume! You have to come with me now! Miaka said to bring you to the Temple of Suzaku!" he yelled.  
  
"The Temple of what?" I didn't get an answer because I was covered with a cloak. My world went black and I thought that I passed out again. But I didn't and we emerged outside a beautifully decorated door, in a part of the palace I had not been before. "Where are we?" I asked.  
  
"We're outside the Temple of Suzaku. Hurry up and go in. Everyone's waiting for you, you know," he answered, opening the door for me.  
  
As I walked through the door, I felt a strange tingling sensation. I heard gasps. "I don't look like a complete idiot, do I?" I asked sarcastically.  
  
"So this is the other girl from your world, Miaka. I have to admit that I think they have made some mistake. I may regret this decision but I am not allowed to change it," an old grouchy voice I did not recognize said from behind the group.  
  
"Hey! Wait just one second! I don't know who you are or what 'decision' you're talking about but I'm not here to take crap from some-AHH! WHAT THE FUCK?!?" I exclaimed. I jumped back in shock as I saw the most ugly, floating old lady I ever did see. Wait, she's the only floating old lady that I ever saw. Oh well, she's still ugly. "God, you're ugly!" I added, unable to stop myself.  
  
The group laughed at my reaction but the "lady" sent them a glare and they immediately shut up. "Don't worry, most of us reacted the same way when we first met Taiitsu-kun. You'll get used to her eventually, you know," Chichiri whispered.  
  
"Because you are new, I will forgive your lack of manners this time. Call me ugly again and I will not be so kind," the ugly old. . .err. . .Taiitsu- kun warned.  
  
"Whatever. Exactly what do you want from me?" I asked, unimpressed. 'Her face scares me more then her threats. They don't even make Halloween masks this ugly.'  
  
"The Suzaku Seven will need your help on their journey. I do not know how someone like you can help, but it seems that you will prove vital in their quest. I am also required to give you something to help you. Although I do not believe you are worthy of such an honor." She handed me a box, a pretty box, but a box just the same. I looked down at it, unimpressed. "Don't look so disappointed! It's more than you deserve! It has unimaginable powers. I am not supposed to tell you what they are yet, but know this: it is not a toy. Do not abuse the gift." With that, she disappeared. As she did this, I felt that tingly sensation again.  
  
"Thanks for a load of nothing, granny. May be I can put some jewelry in it. That's all it's good for," I muttered. 'Don't abuse the gift! Some gift! And me being important to their side? I like them more than Nakago but I wouldn't dare betray him yet. So unless they count causing the destruction of them,' I thought. "So I guess I'm stuck travelin' with you guys, huh?" I asked.  
  
No one answered me at first. They just stared at me, mouths open. 'I know I don't look like myself in a dress but they could at least answer me. Or maybe they're as doubtful as I am about me being helpful.' Chichiri nudged Miaka and whispered something in her ear. She walked over to me, slowly, and said, "Uhh Yume? Let's go back to your room for a minute."  
  
"I thought we were going to town," I replied. I didn't know what was going on, but I wanted to.  
  
"Sure, whatever you want. Let's just go to your room. I want to talk to you for a moment." Miaka was acting very strange. I followed her back to my room. When we got there, I knew something was up. Shiriko greeted me with unusual hesitancy. 'Just like everyone else. . . What'd that old hag do to me?' "Yume, you have a mirror, right?" she asked me.  
  
"Yea but Miaka? What's going on? Why is everybody acting like I'm some kind of freak?" Ok. . .this whole situation has made me lose my cool that normally keeps me under control.  
  
"Yume, just get out the mirror. It will explain this a lot better than I can," she replied, turning away from me. I became so annoyed that I felt tingly again. 'Damn tingles. . .I don't know what's causing them but it's pissing me off.'  
  
"I grabbed my notebook and looked into the mini mirror. "What are you talking about? I don't see a difference," I stated, un-amused. If this was some kind of joke, I didn't like it. I took another quick glance.  
  
Miaka turned back towards me. "Look at me for a second, Yume." I looked at her. She got a look of pure confusion on her face. "What happened? You're back to normal. How?"  
  
"Don't ask me. I didn't know I wasn't normal." I laughed. "So what was so different about me?"  
  
"Oh don't worry about it. It was nothing really, just forget about it," she relied, a hesitant smile on her lips. "Let's go to town now."  
  
"Ok," I agreed, or my voice did. I was overcome by a feeling of foreboding. Something told me she was lying. Why, I didn't know but I bet that I would find out about it eventually. I put the box in my pocket. 'Damn object. I bet it and that old hag had something to do with this.'  
  
  
  
Author's Note:  
  
Smack: Uh oh! What happened?  
  
Yume: Why doesn't anyone ever let me know what is going on?!?  
  
Smack: You aren't allowed to know yet. Anyway, I hope you guys aren't too disappointed with that chapter. Next time I say it will change everything, it really will in more ways than one. Here's a hint of what's to come:  
  
"Let me think about it. . . hmm. . .NO. Now then, if I were you, I'd let me go now, before something bad happens to you," I cautioned him. Tasuki and Tamahome were closing in fast and I doubt they'd be happy. Even they don't get here in time, I can defend myself.  
  
Smack: That's all the hint you get. What could our young heroine have done now? Find out next time. Byebyes! 


	9. Downtown Adventures!

Disclaimer: I do not own Fushigi Yuugi. I think I'm going to stop writing these. You can just look back at the earlier chapters.  
  
Thanks to. . .  
  
Renee: I am not mean! It is merely a technique to keep you interested. Obviously, it's working. ::evil laugh::  
  
Lanen: Why does everyone think that that last chapter was such a cliffhanger? Don't give Mits rabies, then he will be unhappy. Then we'll all be unhappy.  
  
Dawn Sweetie: Thanks a lot! Nobody told me that it draws them in yet, except you of course. And I'm glad you like it.  
  
RyogazGal: Ok, you can be a character. I wish you gave me a better description but I'll deal with it. I'm not sure if I'm doing the romance thing but if I am it's not going to be serious. I haven't decided now important they will be yet.  
  
miLady: Again with the "left hanging!" I didn't do it on purpose this time! It was just supposed to be a little plot twist! Geesh! Well, I'm glad you think it got more interesting, that I meant to do, at least.  
  
Author's Note: Well, I'm sorry but I fear some of you may be a bit disappointed. Most of the stuff I hinted at last chapter won't be answered for quite some time. Sorry. Also, all four character spots have been taken. Just so you know if you got one, they went to mini, Otaku Pitcher, Renee, and the last went to RyogazGal. Hopefully, none of you are disappointed. I'm guessing that they will be in chapter twenty at the earliest. I know because I'm currently writing chapter seventeen. I'm just slow at typing and hate doing it. Sorry again.  
  
If you don't know how Yume's thoughts are going to be represented by now, than I doubt that me telling you again will help much. If you're desperate to know, read the beginning of last chapter. It's written there.  
  
Chapter 9: Downtown Adventures!  
  
As we were about to leave, someone knocked on my door. I opened it and sure enough, Tasuki and Tamahome were standing there. "And what do you two want? We were just on our way out, you know," I asked, growing annoyed at all these distractions.  
  
"You're back to normal!" Tasuki exclaimed. Tamahome jabbed him in the ribs and he quickly added, "I mean, Hotohori wanted us to go with you guys. You know, to make sure that nothing happened to you."  
  
"All right then, let's get going," Miaka answered. 'Great, now I have to deal with those two along with Miaka. I can't even bring Shiriko since he's supposed to rest. This should be fun,' I thought as I followed them out of my room.  
  
We walked through the gates of the palace and into the town. Remarkably, Miaka wasn't talking to Tamahome. They stayed away from each other. 'I wonder if they got in a fight last night,' I wondered as I saw Tamahome watch Miaka and Tasuki talking with an envious expression. He was all the way at the back by himself so I decided to be nice (for once) and try and talk to him. "Hi Tamahome," I said cheerfully, walking towards him. "How's it going?"  
  
"How do you think it's going, Yume? Tasuki told me that he told you about my family," he replied, giving me a mean look.  
  
"Figures. Well, I'm sorry about your family. I'm not very good at the whole sympathy thing so I wasn't going to bring it up but since you did, guess I'm screwed," I told him. "I was only talking to you because you were back here by yourself giving Miaka and Tasuki dirty looks. I thought you might want someone to talk to but I guess you don't so I'll just leave you alone."  
  
"No, it's ok Yume. I don't mind. I'm just a little angry and figured you were just going to try and piss me off. Sorry," he responded. He didn't sound sorry but I ignored it. No sense in provoking him. This was as close to a conversation as I've ever had with him.  
  
"Why are you so pissed anyway?" I asked. 'Oh God! Here it comes! We're almost at a civil conversation! Don't blow it, Yume, don't blow it!'  
  
"Well, Miaka has been ignoring me every since she talked to Taiitsu-kun this morning. I don't know why and it is starting to annoy me," he explained. 'And he's telling me this why? I thought he hated me.'  
  
"I'll try to find out for you," I offered. He looked surprised. "Maybe it will prove to you that I'm not a complete jerk."  
  
"Ok, thanks Yume," he replied. "You know, you aren't really that bad."  
  
"Gee thanks. Could ya tell that to Nuriko?" I responded sarcastically. "You aren't as big of a fag as I thought you were, either. I don't know when I'll be able to ask her about it but I'll try and do it soon."  
  
"Hey Tamahome! What are you and Yume talking about back there? Don't tell me that you're actually getting along?" Tasuki asked, looking back at us.  
  
"Yup, for once we are," Tamahome answered.  
  
"Why don't you guys come up here and talk to us? We're getting close to the city and I wouldn't want us to get separated," Tasuki called back to us. We caught up to them and I began to take in the sights of the place. I gasped. "Don't even say it looks like ancient China," Tasuki ordered.  
  
"Fine, I won't. It looks like a picture of ancient China that's in my Global book," I said instead. Tasuki made a funny face and stuck his tongue out at me. I shoved him lightly.  
  
"Children! Behave or do I have to put you in separate corners?" Tamahome asked in a fake parental sounding voice. We pretended to beat him up. Miaka laughed at us.  
  
"Geesh, Yume. I thought Americans were more mature, yet here you are, acting just like a little kid," she commented. I stuck my tongue out at her.  
  
"I'm just having a little fun," I sulked. "No need to use the big 'm' word on me. You can't tell me that you've never had your immature moments."  
  
"Especially when she sees food," Tasuki joined in.  
  
"Ok, ok. Stop flirting already," she responded. Tasuki and I got huge angry faces.  
  
"We're not flirting!!!" we yelled in unison. Tamahome laughed at us.  
  
"Whatever, let's look at the jewelry over here," she said, changing the subject. 'Yea you better change the subject.'  
  
The jeweler guy had all sorts of beautiful products at his booth. There were necklaces with gorgeous gems, beaded bracelets, and so much more. What caught my eye, however, were two unique metal bracelets whose pattern seemed to match the box Taiitsu-kun gave me. "Those are beautiful. . ." I murmured, reaching for them. I stopped myself, however, and looked at the pattern. They had a complex design of blue and white, which seemed to swirl. Even in the shadow, they glowed with a radiant beauty.  
  
"Ah, those are very special bracelets. They are said to possess magical qualities of protection awaiting one with a pure heart," the shopkeeper said in a mystical voice. 'That's probably just his sales pitch,' I thought as he pulled them out. "Would you like to try them on?"  
  
All right, I'll admit it. I was sold. My eyes grew big. "Can I? Please?" I asked.  
  
"Of course." He handed them to me and I carefully held them as though they were a delicate treasure. I put them on my wrist and they shined for a brief moment. "It seems as though they were made for you, miss. They look beautiful on you," the shopkeeper added, giving me yet another sales pitch.  
  
I turned they the others, a childlike expression present on my face. "Can I get them? Please?" I asked in a childish voice. I gave them the sad puppy face. 'This always gets 'em.'  
  
The three of them sighed at my childishness. "How much are they?" Tasuki asked in a sigh like tone.  
  
"Twenty mon for one," the grinning shopkeeper answered.  
  
I gave him my best, most childlike "please" look and he sighed in defeat. "Ok, we'll take them," he said handing the delighted shopkeeper the money. "Now don't say I've never done anything for you." I smiled and hugged him, watching as he blushed.  
  
"Thanks Tasuki! You're the best!" I yelled over my shoulder as I took off for another booth.  
  
"What a weird girl," he muttered.  
  
"Yea but she's fun to watch," Tamahome added.  
  
"Come on you two. Let's go find her before she gets herself in trouble," Miaka sighed, a sweat drop on her face.  
  
Meanwhile, a few booths over, (but still within earshot), I was grinning to myself, admiring my new bracelets. 'They're so pretty. It was kind of weird when they shined. Must have been the way the light hit them. I think the shopkeeper is full of crap. There's no way that these are magical. It does make a pretty decent sales pitch, though,' I thought to myself as I looked for Miaka, Tamahome, and Tasuki. I heard what I thought was their footsteps and decided to give them a little chase. I made sure I put myself in plain view, it would be unfair not to, and used my expert "hallway" skills to maneuver my way through the crowd. I made my way into an alley off the side of the one we were in. I looked out to see if they had followed my and saw a patch of bright orange among the crowd, only a short distance away. I decided that my fun was over and turned to walk back out to the crowd. As I did so, I felt a hand grab my shoulder. I spun around and found myself face to face with a young guy, probably not much older than Tamahome. "And what do you want?" I asked, allowing a slight trace of annoyance to be present in my voice. "I do have somewhere to go, you know."  
  
"The only place that you're going is with me," he answered. Under different circumstances, I might have considered this option. He was almost cute. But at the moment, he was just a dirty punk who needed his ass kicked.  
  
"Let me think about it. . .hmm. . .no. Now then, if I were you, I'd let me go, now, before something unfortunate happens to you," I cautioned him. Tasuki and Tamahome should be here soon and I doubt they'd be happy. Even if they didn't get here in time, I was perfectly capable of defending myself.  
  
"Don't tell me you're going to try and hurt me. You don't want to mess up your pretty little dress do you? Now, be a good little girl and come with me." He began to pull on my arm.  
  
"Suit yourself." With my free arm, I jabbed him in the jaw. On impulse, he let go of my arm and grabbed his chin.  
  
"You little bitch! You'll pay for that!" he yelled while holding his chin. I just got in a fighter stance and smirked at him. Kicking his ass should be all too easy.  
  
He tried to grab at me, but I dodged. I landed a front kick in his stomach and when he bent over, hit him over the head. "I tired to warn you but you wouldn't listen. Maybe this will teach you not to pick on us poor, defenseless, little girls," I mocked, walking away. I found the others fairly quickly after that.  
  
"Where've you been?" they asked.  
  
"I was just wandering around," I answered, smiling. They looked at each other like "yea, whatever" and we started back for the palace.  
  
Just then, the guy from the alley followed by some more of his thugs emerged from the alley and blocked our way. The one from before, obviously their leader, pointed at me. "That's the bitch from before. Let's make her pay for her rudeness, boys," he said. They laughed and another walked out to the front.  
  
"This wench was disrespectful to our boss so we're gonna make her pay for it. Now get out of our way or you'll be sorry," he said to Tamahome and Tasuki.  
  
"See look, you're making friends already, Yume," Tamahome teased.  
  
"What'd you do now, Yume?" Tasuki joked. "Being rude seems to be her thing. We can't just abandon her because of it. Guess we'll just have to be punished along with her." They moved in front of me.  
  
"Hey guys, I can take care of myself. It's Miaka that we should be protecting," I stated pushing in front of them. I didn't need their protection but I appreciated the help. We were outnumbered three to one as it was.  
  
We gathered around Miaka to protect her as the gang advanced towards us. "Damn, Yume. What'd you do to get them so angry?" Tasuki asked as he fought off one of the more determined guys.  
  
I kicked another one to the ground and replied, "Their boss tried to get me to go somewhere with him and wouldn't take no for an answer so I kicked his ass. What was I supposed to do?" Tasuki laughed and punched another guy.  
  
We defeated them easily enough and resumed our journey back to the palace. I showed Miaka my bracelets, she wanted a better look, and heard Tamahome talking to Tasuki. "You aren't supposed to buy her jewelry until at least the third date."  
  
Tasuki blushed and replied quietly, "We aren't dating! I just bought her them because she had the puppy dog eyes. They're my weakness, you know that." 'I don't think that he thinks I can hear him. I'll pretend I can't. Though I can definitely have some fun with this.' I began to plot an evil scheme.  
  
Once we got back to the palace, I headed to my room to check on Shiriko. "Hey little buddy, you sure seem better after the rest," I said as I walked into my room. Shiriko jumped up expectantly, obviously bored and full of energy. A bowl of water and food lay next to his bed. "I wonder who left that?" I said, thinking out loud.  
  
"I did. I hope you don't mind me coming in here like this but I wanted to check up on him and knew that you'd probably have a problem getting him food," a male voice from my doorway said.  
  
I turned to find Mitsukake there. "You're right about the food. I don't mind this time but don't make a habit of it, ok?" He nodded.  
  
"Shiriko should be fine if you want to take him for a walk. Just don't let him over do it. He's spirited, a lot like his owner. Well, I have to go." With that, he left. 'That Mitsukake. He's always appearing and disappearing out of nowhere. And he always leaves me something to think about as well,' I thought, grabbing my CD player, Shiriko and his leash. I needed to do some thinking and Shiriko needed to do some walking. 'It's funny how things work out like that,' I thought, leaving my room accompanied by Shiriko.  
  
  
  
Author's Note:  
  
Smack: And thus ends chapter nine. I hope it wasn't too disappointing.  
  
Tasuki: Stop trying to act smart! Anyone who knows you knows that you're a moron!  
  
Smack: ::puts head down:: You don't have to put it so bluntly! Just for that, I'm going to do something really mean to you within the next ten chapters!  
  
Tasuki: Bring it on bitch!  
  
Smack: ::points finger and laughs as Tasuki disappears:: Now then, let's move on to Smack's little preview of what's to come:  
  
I stared at my pet. "He trusts you and accepts you," I said mesmerized.  
  
Smack: That's it. Who's she talking to? What's she's talking about? You'll find out next time! 


	10. Chattin' With Chichiri!

Disclaimer: If ya really want to read it, it's on the last chapter and the one before that and all the others before that.  
  
Thanks To:  
  
Lanen: Tama would be a better victim only 'cause then Mits could heal him. If it were Mits who had the rabies, who'd heal them when they got all beat up? Don't worry, I gots a lot more in store for you guys. * grins *  
  
miLady: The bracelet is rather curious isn't it? And I told you before; the end of chapter eight will be explained in good time. You just have to be a little patient. If I handed you every answer right away would this story even be worth reading?  
  
Otaku Pitcher: Don't worry about it not showing up. I'm just glad that you've stuck with me this long. (Oh, in case you care, it's nineteen now. I'm almost positive that Katana and co. will appear in the next chapter! twenty) I'm glad that I did a good job on the Yume and Tamahome conversation. I was a little skeptical. I only hope I did as well in this chapter. . .  
  
mini: I know it took you forever to read this! You only read the first form, the one that isn't developed, and forget about it. I can be mean too. Just wait a few more chapters. I'm not even sure if you read the one I'm talking about yet, lol. Harass me face to face, though. It's more fun for both of us that way.  
  
Author's Note: Ok. I have my doubts about this chapter but I'm doing my best. Those of you who have taken on the roles of the four characters, it is chapter twenty. At least, I'm almost positive it is. Well, I don't have much of an author's note so deal with it.  
  
'. . .' is. . .Yume's thoughts. Very good o young pupils.  
  
Chapter 10: Chattin' With Chichiri  
  
'Maybe if I go over what Taiitsu-kun said one more time I will finally understand the "hidden meaning" behind it,' I thought as Shiriko and I wandered through the palace garden. 'I know that there has to be one. I think that that old hag knows more than she's telling me. But the way she said it, it makes it seem like she's getting her orders from some higher force. Maybe she's not allowed to tell me anything else.' I clenched my fists and unclenched them. 'Oh what I wouldn't give for a stress ball right about know. They may be weird but they're great on stress.' That thought out, I began to wonder about why they looked at me weird. 'And no one would even tell me why! I bet Chichiri told them not to! And I'm going to find out why. Now all I have to do is find him. . . I'll check that spot that I had found him earlier today.'  
  
I walked Shiriko in that direction and sure enough, he was there. Unfortunately for me, he had a guest: Miaka. I decided to talk to him later and snuck away from the spot without being seen. After all, I was supposed to be walking Shiriko. I placed the little strap of my CD player loosely around my wrist and the headphones in my ears. I turned it on and heard the wonderful quiet beginnings of music enter my ears. "Well, Shiriko, how 'bout we go sit in that little gazebo thing and rethink our existence for a little while?" I asked my pet. I got no objection so that's exactly what we did.  
  
I decided to sit facing the area where Chichiri was so I'd know when Miaka left. That didn't exactly work, though, because I soon became lost in my thoughts, attempting to find solutions to questions I hadn't even begun to consider yet. Most of the solutions I knew would evade me for a while. At least I thought I knew. Perhaps the answers were but a brief amount of time away. I fixed my gaze on the water and the music from my CD player became but a background noise. My mind was being taken back to earlier today, when I was talking to Taiitsu-kun. "The Suzaku Seven will need your help on their journey. I do not know how someone like you can help, but it seems that you will prove vital in their quest." That's exactly what she said to me. 'I still don't get how I'll prove vital. I'm just a normal girl. I couldn't even protect myself in a dream. . .I'm so weak. . .' I thought as I gazed at the water. I looked down at my hands that were resting so relaxed on my lap and felt a single tear roll down my cheek. Before I could wipe it away, it landed on my bracelet. For a brief second, the bracelet glimmered like it did when I first put them on. 'Ok this time I know I must be seeing things. There's no light; I picked this spot because it was in the shade. How'd it shine like that? What's with these freakin bracelets?'  
  
I saw Miaka away from Chichiri's spot. 'Ah ha! Now's my chance!' Opportunity knocked but now I wasn't so sure what I wanted to ask it. I guess I just needed someone to talk to. 'I'm sure I'll think of something once I get there,' I thought as Shiriko and I got up. 'No. I can't trust him. I can't tell him a lot. Sure, he seems trust worthy but things are not always what they appear. Besides, if I start to talk openly I may say something that I'll regret,' I reminded myself as I took off my headphones and we neared my goal. 'Here goes nothing. . .' "Hi Chichiri. Mind if I talk to you for a little bit?" I asked casually, allowing a hesitant and nervous smile to creep its way onto my face.  
  
"Oh sure Yume. I did say that if you ever needed someone to talk to, I'd be here, you know," he answered, that smile still on his face.  
  
I took a seat next to him and motioned for Shiriko to do the same. "Well, actually, I wanted to ask you something." His eyebrows rose. "You may not want to answer it but I need you to do that for me."  
  
"What exactly are you going to ask me?" he asked, obviously confused.  
  
"You know before, after I talked to Taiitsu-kun?" He nodded and I continued. "Everyone was looking at me weird. Miaka said something about me looking different and so did Tasuki but they both shut up right away. Why won't anyone tell me what happened?" I questioned.  
  
'He looks troubled, as if he's debating something,' I noted. Of course that was just a guess. It's impossible to tell what he's feeling with that smile always present on his face. I didn't even know where the guess came from. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, he answered. "I told them not to mention it. I thought that if you were meant to know, you would have seen it yourself. I didn't want them to mention it in case you weren't meant to know yet. Since it didn't last, it might have just been a freak accident or something, you know?"  
  
"I guess you're right. When the time comes, I'll know," I replied, a little disappointed.  
  
We sat in silence for a few minutes, both of us wrapped up in our own thoughts. "What I looked like before. . .it wasn't too horrible, was it? The way you guys were staring at me made it seem like I was hideous," I stated. I didn't mean to dwell on the subject but I wanted to know at least that so if it ever happened again, I'd be a little prepared.  
  
"It wasn't horrible at all. . .just a little, different," he answered. When he saw the look of shock on my face he added, "Different from what you normally look like, you know."  
  
"Oh. . ." Now I was even more confused.  
  
It was silent again for a minute and I got another strange feeling that he was debating something. "Is you physical appearance really that important to you?" he asked. This took me by surprise.  
  
"No, it's just when everyone stares at me like I have two heads and my own dog," Shiriko looked up, "doesn't even recognize me at first and no one will tell me why, I tend to wonder," I answered.  
  
"I guess I would too," he replied, looking away from me. I pet Shiriko. I felt kind of bad. I had been ignoring him the whole time even though this was supposed to be his walk. When Chichiri looked back at me, the smiling face was in his hand. 'A mask. . .it was just a mask? Why would he wear a smiling mask?' Then I looked at his face. It seemed perfectly normal at first glance. Across his left eye, (A/N: I think it's his left eye. If it's not, let me know, ok?), however, there was a big scar.  
  
"What happened?" I asked, trying not to sound rude.  
  
(A/N: Once again, I'm sorry if I don't get this totally right. I did my best, though, so go easy on me.)  
  
"An accident," he answered. I raised an eyebrow but stayed silent to give him a chance to continue, if he was going to. He sighed a long pain filled sigh. "When I was 18, I got engaged to my life long friend and love, Kouran. I thought Hikou, my best friend, supported me but it turned out that he loved her, too. I saw him kissing Kouran." He stopped and I think I saw a tear escape his eye. I put my hand on his shoulder.  
  
"You don't have to tell me the rest Chichiri. I understand," I said. 'I definitely didn't expect this. . .'  
  
"No, it's ok. Kouran broke off our engagement. Then she. . .she killed herself. I was so upset. I couldn't understand why she'd do something like that. I challenged my friend to a duel. It started raining and the rain turned to a flood. As we were fighting, the ground under my friend broke but I held on to him as long as I could. I realized then that I didn't want him to die. He was my best friend. A log broke and hit me in the eye causing the scar. I let go of his hand. I should have held on to him!" He stopped again. "My family died in that flood. I lost everyone who was dear to me. The scar reminds me of what I did. I found that the scar disturbs some people so I made the mask."  
  
I didn't know what to say. I thought of something, though I was sure it wasn't original. "That really sucks. I'm sorry Chichiri. I wish I could say I know how you feel but I don't. Nothing quite like that has ever happened to me before." 'Ok. . .now that was a pathetic excuse for making him feel better. I could tell him about how I tried to kill myself once, but I don't think that would help much,' I thought bitterly. "Why'd you tell me that? I don't mean to sound rude but it causes you so much pain yet you told me. You don't even know me that well."  
  
"I told you because I wanted to let you know that I know what you're going through. The dreams you have that you can't control, the changing of you appearance, though you changed back. I thought that maybe if I trusted you, you'd trust me back," he answered.  
  
"I'm sorry Chichiri. I just suck at cheering people up and it frustrates me sometimes." We sat in silence, an almost comfortable silence. I pet Shiriko and Chichiri moved to put his mask back on. Shiriko got up from his position next to me and strode over to Chichiri. He then did something that shocked me beyond words. He nudged Chichiri's hand with his nose, causing him to drop the mask. He then licked the place where Chichiri's scar was, laid down next to him, and put his head on Chichiri's lap.  
  
Chichiri gazed thoughtfully at the dog. He hesitantly pat Shiriko on the head and when he didn't object, pet him behind the ears. "Does he normally behave like this?" Chichiri asked.  
  
I stared at my pet. "He trusts you and accepts you," I answered, mesmerized by my pet's change of behavior. 'He never trusts anyone this easily. Maybe it would be ok to trust Chichiri.'  
  
"The why'd he knock the mask out of my hand?" he questioned. Shiriko looked up at the scar, then at the mask, and finally, at me. Our eyes met and I understood.  
  
"I think he was trying to tell you that you don't need the mask. That he accepts you for you, and that he doesn't care about the scar. He likes you." Chichiri looked up at me thoughtfully. 'He probably thinks I'm a psychopath. Making it sound like Shiriko is that intelligent! Even though I know he is I don't think Chichiri could understand that.'  
  
Chichiri pet Shiriko some more. "Is that so?" he asked my pet. 'He's toying with me. He's no different than anyone else. I was foolish to think I could trust him. Foolish and naïve.' Shiriko lifted his head, nodded, and barked. "Well, then thanks." He turned to me and said, "You have a smart dog. Can you always tell what he's thinking?"  
  
I looked down. "Well. . .actually, I've basically raised him so yes I can usually tell. I've spent enough time with him to understand his body language along with some of what he's thinking," I answered, unsure of the response I'd get. 'I hope I don't sound too stupid. . .'  
  
"I'm not going to laugh at you if that's what you think. I believe you. It's a perfectly believable claim, based on the way you two act together, I bet he can tell what you're thinking as well," he said. Neither one of us said anything after that.  
  
  
  
Author's Note:  
  
Smack: So. . .how'd I do? Was it any good?  
  
Tasuki: ::mumbling:: No it sucked. I wasn't even in it.  
  
Chichiri: Uh, Tasuki? None of us were expect Yume and me and a little appearance by Miaka. You aren't alone, you know.  
  
Tasuki: I don't care. I don't feel appreciated.  
  
Smack: That's because you aren't. Anyway, moving along, here's the hint of what's to come:  
  
'Oh poor, foolish Tasuki. You didn't ruin my fun, you just changed the rules and game a little.'  
  
Smack: I love that quote. ::hearts appear around head:: It's one of the best in the whole story. What could be going on that would make Yume think such a thing?  
  
Tasuki: What's going on?  
  
Smack: Nothing, nothing at all. Go back to your corner.  
  
Tasuki: Fine. . . 


	11. Packing Wars!

Disclaimer: See chapters one through nine.  
  
Thanks to:  
  
MoO KaWaIi MoO: I'm glad that you liked chapters eight and nine but I'm sad you thought that last one was boring. I know it wasn't the most exciting chapter but I have to include a few of those every so often. It was important even if it wasn't the best chapter.  
  
Renee: Here's some more for ya.  
  
Lanen: All this talk about Mits having rabies is making me think about writing a mini story about it. That'd be funny. I should do that one-day when I'm really bored. I'm glad that you like the story.  
  
Otaku Pitcher: I'm glad someone liked the last chapter. What got me worried was that everyone knows Chichiri's past so I thought people would get bored with it. But thanks for being here for me and giving me a positive review on it. Not that I don't mind negative ones. . .as long as their constructive.  
  
miLady: I don't mind you guessing. . .I just can't really tell you if you're right. I haven't read the "Ayashi no Ceres" manga so I can't tell you if it is like it. If it ends up being like it, I didn't mean to rip them off or whatever.  
  
RyogazGal: Thanks for the improved character info. Your girl is named "Fae." Hope that's ok with you. And thanks for telling me about the Chichiri thing.  
  
(I'm guessing here. . .Faeriesinger?): What? No name? Well, here's the rest. Not really. The rest will take awhile. As much as I would like to be able to magically make chapters appear, I can't. So you got to wait. I'm glad you like Yume and Shiriko.  
  
Author's Note: Sorry if the last chapter wasn't the best. Hey, I tried. Sorry it wasn't chock full of excitement. This one should be better. It goes back to the comedy. Hopefully it's more exciting. Oh, I have to change something that I said before. The characters make their first technical appearance in the end of chapter 23 but you meet them all for real in the next one and learn the names in the next. Sorry if that was confusing. It was even harder to write.  
  
'. . .' are Yume's thoughts.  
  
Chapter 11: Packing Wars!  
  
I sat in my room, gazing at the ancient surroundings. I had left Chichiri around an hour ago and had been doing random tasks since then. Nobody had bothered me in a while and I was beginning to think that I might actually get some peace. 'Yea right,' I thought as I heard a knock on my door. 'I always have to jinx myself don't I?' "I'll be right there," I called to my interrupter. I opened the door to find Tasuki. The plan I had made earlier resurfaced to the top of my memory. "Hi Tasuki. What brings you here?" I asked, sweetly.  
  
"I'm supposed to make sure that you pack for tomorrow. We're leaving early in the morning so you won't have time to pack then," he answered. He gave me a suspicious look. "Why are you so happy to see me?"  
  
I rolled my eyes. "Duh! You bought me my bracelets. The least I can do is be halfway decent to you. And that's just the least," I replied, smiling coyly at him. 'I really shouldn't mess with his mind like this but it's way too good of an opportunity to pass up. Besides, it's harmless. He should know that by now.'  
  
"Forget about the bracelets. You don't have to be nice to me just because I bought you something," he told me, turning his back on me. "I like it better when you were mean to me and argued with me. At least then you were being natural."  
  
'Foolish boy; you're making this way too easy!' I grabbed a pillow while his back was turned and threw it at him. "Got you!" I yelled as it hit him in the back of the head. "Did you really think that I could change my attitude towards you simply because you bought me something? I'm not that easy!" I laughed at his naivety.  
  
"This is one of the reasons why I hate girls! You say one thing but mean another! You never say what you're thinking then you get mad when we don't know!" he yelled. I stopped laughing and looked at him with a serious expression.  
  
"Ok, for one, I'm not mad, (A/N: I'm hurt. Sorry couldn't help it), I'm just teasing you. Also, if I said everything that I thought someone would have kicked my ass by now and I'd probably be dead," I replied. "Besides, if you say everything that you think, nobody gets to guess and that ruins all the fun. Guys just don't understand. I'll stop kidding around and start to pack. Sorry for trying to have some fun."  
  
'Time for stage two.' I turned around and started gathering my junk up, purposely hiding my face. I shook my shoulders a little to make it look like I was crying. He walked towards me and I turned the other way. "Yume. Yume come on. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to ruin your fun," he said. 'Oh poor, foolish Tasuki. You didn't ruin my fun, you just changed the rules and game a little.' I grabbed the pillow I had thrown earlier, preparing to put it back on my bed. He turned me around and I planted the pillow right in his face. "Hey! That's not fair!" he cried, putting his arms up to block his face.  
  
"No one ever said life was fair, o unknowing one," I commented in a sarcastic voice smirking at him. He returned the smirk and the pillow; right upside my head. "Hey! Watch the face!" I yelled. Shiriko stood by, watching us with an all- knowing look. This annoyed me. "Some help you are," I muttered. He just looked at me with an amused look. 'Damn dog. . .' Tasuki hit me with another pillow. "Ah!"  
  
I retaliated with my own calculated blow to the side of his head. "Ouch!" he yelled. He then proceeded to smack me in the stomach with his pillow. My grip on my pillow loosened and he snatched it from my hand. "Do you give up? Or do I have to humiliate you some more?" he taunted. 'He was really asking for it! This wasn't part of the plan!'  
  
I glared at him. "Never!!!" I yelled. I lunged at him, in an attempt to reclaim my lost weapon. All I could manage to do was slip and fall on my butt. He laughed at me. 'Ah ha! Just as I predicted. His vision is off me which means his grip is loosened!' I sneaked forward, easily retrieving both pillows. "Victory is mine!!!" I roared, throwing my head back and raising the pillows to the sky. . .well. . .ceiling anyway. When I looked back at where Tasuki had been standing, he was gone. "Where'd he go?" I asked myself. Suddenly, I was spun around and the pillows were removed from my hands. 'Tasuki got me again. . .'  
  
"I've got you now. All you can do now is admit defeat, prisoner," he declared, smirking evilly down at me.  
  
"Cheater. . ." I muttered. I tried to escape away from the smirk, away from him. I didn't like it when he played tricks like that. 'I can't get close to him, to any of them. It will only hurt more in the end when they find out why I'm really here.' As I turned, he grabbed my wrist. "Let me go, Tasuki," I ordered.  
  
"What are you two doing?" a female voice asked from the doorway. 'Leave it to Tasuki to forget to shut the door.' I suddenly felt really stupid. My ponytail must be falling out by now and who knows how many feathers I have in my hair. My dress was all messed up and so was the bed. (I didn't make it this morning.) 'This is really going to help my image. Shit! How am I going to get out of this one?'  
  
"We had a pillow fight," I answered innocently. Tasuki nodded.  
  
"Couldn't you tell?" he added.  
  
"Now then, my turn to ask the questions. What are you doing here?" I asked Miaka, taking charge of the conversation. No good could come of her remaining in charge. 'Maybe the idiot will forget all about this.'  
  
"I came to see if you were packing yet. We sent Tasuki to tell you to but I had a feeling that you hadn't started," she replied, eying us suspiciously. "Guess I was right."  
  
"It's not like I have much to pack. You two are making it seem like I have a whole crapload of junk," I responded. "It'll only take like five seconds to pack. But I should get started, I suppose."  
  
"Alright then, we'll leave," Miaka told me.  
  
"No, I need to talk to you for a minute. Tasuki? Don't you have somewhere else to be?" I asked.  
  
"Ok, ok. I can take a hint." He left. 'Now I can fulfill my promise to Tamahome,' I thought.  
  
"So what'd you need to talk to me about?" Miaka asked.  
  
"Actually, I wanted to talk to you about Tamahome. Is there something going on between the two of you?" It may have been blunt but it just might have worked because Miaka looked away.  
  
"No, not anymore," she answered. She sounded sad so I tried to act concerned.  
  
"What do you mean? What happened? Everything seemed fine last night."  
  
"It's. . .nothing. We just can't be together anymore," she lied. . .err. . .responded.  
  
"Why not? It seemed like he really cared about you and that you really cared about him. Doesn't that matter?" I think my questions were starting to get to her because she replied angrily.  
  
"Yes it does matter! To us but not to the gods!" 'Breakthrough!' "Taiitsu- kun told me to forget about him because it can't work out. Once I summon Suzaku, I have to go back to my world. Besides, the Priestess' body has to be 'pure'," she answered. I laughed at the last remark. I couldn't help it. "What's so funny?!?"  
  
"Pure? What were you planning to do with little Tamahome?" I asked, smirking. I really couldn't help the smirk, remark, or laughter. Call it a character flaw if you must. It was too funny.  
  
"Not just that! He can't kiss me or anything either," she answered, blushing madly. I kept laughing. This was priceless. "I demand that you stop laughing!" she demanded.  
  
I stopped laughing and glared at her. "Hey watch it there, Priestess. I don't take orders from anybody. To these people you may be a Priestess or whatever but to me you're still just a normal person whom I don't have to listen to. Taiitsu-kun said I was going to be important to this journey and gave me the box so you better watch it or I'll unleash the stupid thing on you," I warned. I waved my hand at her in an effort to dismiss her. "Now be gone so I can pack my huge amount of stuff."  
  
"Fine, I doubt you even know how to use it anyway. Just remember, I saw yours and Tasuki's little 'pillow fight' and I can still tell everyone," she said, equally annoyed.  
  
"You wouldn't. Besides, it seriously was just a pillow fight! Ugh! Why does everyone here insist that there's something going on between us?" I threw my hands into the air for a more "dramatic" effect.  
  
"I know nothing happened. I'm just teasing you. And one of the reasons they keep on insisting on it is the way you react. And because you two are so much alike. They know it bothers him so they figure it will bother you," she explained. "So they take advantage of that."  
  
This annoyed me. 'Why won't she leave already?' I suddenly had an idea. "I think dinner's done," I lied. Her face lit up and ran from the room, probably forgetting everything but her hunger. "She's too easy," I said watching her retreating form. I'm not sure but I think Shiriko nodded.  
  
I paced the room attempting to put some order back into the mess. I noticed that she didn't shut the door. I sighed and shut it. "Useless jerk," I mumbled. I returned to my onslaught of the mess. I threw the pillows back on "my" bed. Then, I collected my very few belongings and threw them into my bag along with the clothes I was borrowing from the palace and Miaka. "That was easy. Now what?" I pulled out some of my books from my book bag. "Hmm. . .global, math, French. . .ha! Guess I won't be needing these for awhile." 'I really have to stop thinking out loud. Someone could overhear me someday.'  
  
I put my books away and spotted Nakago's earring, still on the table. 'Maybe I should "accidentally" lose it. Then my obligation to him will be over.' I considered this for a moment. The risks outweighed the benefits. I put the thing in a small side pocket. I sat back down by the window where I had been sitting before I was "interrupted." That stupid bow Taiitsu-kun gave me rolled out of my pocket. I picked it up. 'I doubt you even know how to use it anyway.' I remembered what Miaka had said before. 'Damn Priestess. I'll figure out how to use it. How hard can it be? It's just a stupid box.' I picked it up. "What's so special about this thing anyway? I bet it doesn't even do anything. She probably just gave it to me so I'd feel special."  
  
I attempted to find the front. Once I found what I thought it was, I poked the center jewel, a deep red one that resembled a ruby. It moved but nothing happened. It looked like an ordinary, very expensive, jeweled box except for the sides. The front portion was mainly red but blended into blue at the right corner and white on the left. The back was green and covered with gems that resembled emeralds. One portion of it had two small light green stones that looked almost like eyes. 'Now that I think about it, each side has two stones close together that look like eyes. Aquamarines, rubies, diamonds and now, those light green stones. This is one unique box,' I thought as I put the box into my bag and left the room. Naturally, Shiriko followed.  
  
  
  
Author's Note:  
  
Smack: Weird box. Wonder what it does. . .  
  
Tasuki: Oh come on! You know perfectly well what it does.  
  
Smack: ::sweat drops:: No, actually I don't. Haven't decided yet. I have an idea but I'm not sure. We should get away from this topic. It's making me sound stupid. How about the quote from the next chapter?  
  
"Why would Miaka take you out somewhere?" she asked. She almost looked hurt. Nakago, hiding in the background, looked like he wanted to bang his head against a wall.  
  
Smack: Guess who makes an appearance in chapter 12? For those of you who were wondering about them, I told they'd show up eventually. You just have to have some patience with me. I'm slow. Just wait until the later chapters. . .then you'll know what I mean. It takes me like three chapters just to end one thing. Sad, I know. 


	12. The Last Night!

Disclaimer: See Chapters 1-9.  
  
Thanks to. . .  
  
Otaku Pitcher: It was a little longer, I suppose. Glad I made you happy! (Just don't get too used it the longer chapters. I try my best but sometimes they have to be short.) I'm glad that you're proud of me. Sometimes it's fun to leave off in awkward places. But I'll try to get better at not doing it so much.  
  
miLady: Close, oh so close! Nakago never really makes a real appearance, though Yume does report to him on several occasions. Nakago isn't that bad of a person though I give him a hard time in this story. Tasuki's my favorite too. (If you haven't figured that out yet.)  
  
Author's Note: Well here's chapter 12! I'm glad you liked that last chapter and sorry it took a while to get this chapter up. I've been busy. Yea. . .uh. . .not that many of you care. I don't have much else to say so sit back and enjoy the chapter. That sounded weird. . .  
  
'. . .' represent Yume's thoughts (or those strange voices in her head. . .)  
  
Chapter 12: The Last Night!  
  
Shiriko and I wandered aimlessly through the palace. I wasn't sure where I wanted to go or even where we'd end up. Eventually, we found ourselves at the shrine where I was taken earlier. I walked in and looked at the center statue; a beautiful golden phoenix trapped in a pose that made it seem like it was frozen in time. "That's Suzaku, the guardian deity of the Konan Empire," a distinguished yet kind voice from behind me informed me.  
  
"It's an impressive statue. Very realistic," I replied, turning around. "What brings you here, your highness?" I asked. 'Of course the emperor would just appear behind me. They always seem to do that. These "celestial warriors" give me the creeps sometimes.'  
  
"I came to pray for the safety and success of your upcoming journey. I know not how you will assist them on their voyage but I wish you safety and success as well," he answered.  
  
"Thanks, Hotohori. That is very nice of you, I think. Can you keep a secret?" I asked. I was in a weird mood at the moment and it reflected in the way I handled this conversation. He gave me a curious look but nodded. "I don't know how I'm going to help them, either. As far as I know, I'm nothing but a normal girl on my world. Sure, I come here and everyone thinks I'm something special, but I know I'm not. I don't know what to do," I admitted. Maybe my confusion clouded my judgment because in normal circumstances, I would never tell that to him. I might tell it to Chichiri. Well. . . maybe, but certainly not the emperor.  
  
"I understand. I felt similarly when I first became emperor. Just try your best. I'm sure you'll discover your purpose and skills soon enough. I have faith in you. You wouldn't have been brought here if you didn't have a purpose."  
  
I was touched by his faith in me; someone he really didn't know. "Yea, I guess so. I have to go now. Nice talking to you!" I raced off and Shiriko followed me. 'I wouldn't have been brought here if I didn't have a purpose? Too bad that purpose is going to end up causing a lot of tears. Why do these stupid Suzaku warriors have to be so nice? Why can't they be mean to me like Nakago so I won't feel guilty about being a spy? Damn conscious. Who needs it?' "Come on, boy. Let's go keep a promise."  
  
I wasn't sure which room was his but luckily for me, he was in the hall that I was speeding through. "Hey Yume. What's the rush?" he asked.  
  
I stopped suddenly and whirled around. Shiriko followed as best he could but these floors weren't so good for stopping suddenly. Shiriko slid into me causing me to slide into Tamahome. "These floors aren't good for stopping suddenly are they?" I mumbled. It took me a minute, but I realized that it was Tamahome I slid into, not the wall. "Oh Tamahome! Great! Just the person I wanted to see! I talked to Miaka a few minutes ago and I know what's wrong!"  
  
He looked extremely happy for a guy who was just smacked into by someone who until just recently he disliked. "We better not talk about it here. I don't want anyone to know about Miaka's and my problems." We went to a secluded gazebo in the garden. "So what's wrong? Does she hate me?" He looked so worried and hopeful at the same time that I had to change part of what she told me. I wouldn't be the one to break his heart. 'You're getting attached. . .' my mind warned.  
  
"No nothing like that. Taiitsu-kun told her that her body needs to be 'pure' until she summons Suzaku. She can't be 'touched' until she does. As far as I know, she still loves you or whatever so don't get all upset. Ask her about it yourself, though. She might not have told me everything," I answered.  
  
"I'll ask her about it tonight. Thanks a lot, Yume."  
  
"Don't mention it, Tamahome." He left looking very relieved. 'Sometimes, I think I'm too nice to these people.' "Come on, Shiriko. Let's go eat something quick and then head back to our room."  
  
Dinner was just being served as I got there. Only Miaka, Hotohori were there besides me. Everyone else was being "summoned." "Can we eat now?" Miaka asked, her mouth watering.  
  
"Sure. . ." Hotohori answered, giving her a sweat drop look. The words were barely out of his mouth when Miaka started her onslaught on the food. 'She eats like she's never eaten before,' I noted.  
  
I grabbed some food I thought I recognized and started eating as well. I sneaked some meat to Shiriko and finished what I had on my plate. The others would be here soon and it would be harder for me to get away with everyone here. "I'm done so I'm going up to my room to rest," I announced. I was dismissed without question from Miaka and a quick nod from the emperor. Just as the door closed I heard the others arrive.  
  
"Starting without us, I see," I heard Tamahome joke.  
  
"Where's Yume?" Tasuki asked.  
  
"She already ate. She asked to be excused to her room to rest," Hotohori answered. 'I better get out of here before they decide to look for me!' I thought as I hurried away from the dining room.  
  
Shiriko and I made it safely back to our room without confrontation. 'I better do this fast.' I grabbed the bead from my bag and walked into the little closet. I pushed the button and the screen appeared, just like before. "Hello again, Yume. I do enjoy these rare encounters," Nakago greeted. "Excellent timing by the way. I trust you have something important to tell me this time?"  
  
I nodded. "Very important. It seems the group is going on a little journey in search of something and I am to go with them," I informed him.  
  
"That is very good to hear." He almost looked impressed.  
  
"Nakago! Who are you talking to? One minute I'm talking to you and the next you're hurrying off to your room talking to yourself! Is that anyway to treat your Priestess?" a bitchy female voice from somewhere near Nakago yelled. 'I should have known that they would have an obnoxious priestess here, too.'  
  
"Lady Yui. I'm very sorry. I got a report from the spy I told you about. You know, the one from your world. I was talking to her," he told the other girl. The face of a girl with short dirty blond hair appeared next to him. She dressed in a shirt and skirt that looked suspiciously like Miaka's.  
  
"Is that so? I want to talk to her!" the girl, Yui, declared.  
  
"Just a moment, Priestess." He turned back to me. "Yume, there's someone I'd like you to meet. This is Lady Yui, the Priestess of Seiryuu." The girl took the bead.  
  
"Uh, hi Yui," I said.  
  
"You're from my world? You don't look like it. You don't even look Japanese," she replied, unimpressed. I suddenly liked Miaka a lot and almost felt sorry for Nakago. Almost. This girl was a bitch!  
  
"That's because I'm not Japanese, I just have a Japanese name. I'm American and the only reason I'm dressed like this is because Miaka took me out to town and I had to try and fit in. Normally I wouldn't be caught dead in a dress," I replied as calmly as I could. I really wanted to slap her.  
  
"Why would Miaka take you out somewhere?" she asked. She almost looked hurt. Nakago, hiding in the background, looked like he wanted to bang his head against a wall a few times.  
  
"Just to do something. We were bored and she wanted to show me around. Why do you care?"  
  
"I don't. I was just curious." 'Sure. . .' "So you're from America?" she asked, changing the subject.  
  
I wasn't going to go for it. I've had my fair share of talking to her for now. "Yea, but I can't really talk long. No telling when they'll be back. Nice meeting you. Tell Nakago I said bye." I closed the connection, put the bead away and laid down on my bed. It felt so nice just to relax for once. I sighed. As much as I liked to relax, it got kind of boring after a while.  
  
I got up and paced my room. Shiriko looked up at me and sighed. I stopped pacing and got out a notebook. I started recording everything that had happened since I got here. That way, if I woke up at home I would be able to tell if it actually happened or if it was all a dream. Once I finished that, I pulled out my CD player and changed it to one that I could dance to. I had a lot of excess energy and I needed to use it. I changed into the pajamas Miaka gave me, put the headphones on and pushed "play." Some DDR (Dance Dance Revolution) music I burned came on.  
  
I started dancing. I had several ways to relieve stress and dancing was one of them. It worked best when I was full of energy and upset. I only did this when I was alone. If my family knew that I liked to dance around in my pajamas, well, let's just say that I'd never live that one down. When I did actually dance, I liked to try and forget everything but the music. The room really wasn't big enough to go all out but I did my best. The first song ended and I took a quick break. This wasn't a CD I listened to much; it was one of those that you have but only listen to on rare occasions when you crave something different. I ended my break and started dancing again. I became so absorbed in the music that I didn't even notice when the door opened. Had Shiriko not noticed and got in my way while I was dancing, I would have just kept going. "Shiriko! What's the big idea getting in my way? You know better than that!" I exclaimed after tripping over my pet. I paused my CD player to yell at him. "Now I have to restart the song. . .Ugh! You can be such a pain sometimes!" He didn't respond like he normally did. Instead, he just looked at the door. I glanced over and saw an amused Tasuki leaning against the doorframe with his arms crossed. He was smirking contently. I blushed crimson. "What the hell do you think you're doing just walking into my room like this?" I exclaimed, completely mortified. 'How much did he see? I did do some jumping and my loose shirt rose up quite a bit. Damn him and damn the horse that brought him!'  
  
"I knocked but you didn't answer. I heard banging and voices I couldn't understand. I thought something happened to you," he answered. He was still smirking and his little fangs were just visible. As much as I wanted to, I couldn't stay mad at him. Wait, I could and I would.  
  
"Like you really care what happens to me! What's your excuse for coming here in the first place?"  
  
"You weren't at dinner. I wanted to make sure that everything was ok." He was really annoying me. He doesn't really care what happens to me, does he?  
  
"I had finished eating already," I told him roughly.  
  
"I was told you were resting." He gave me a strange look, like he thought he caught me doing something I wasn't supposed to be doing.  
  
"So you came up here even though you thought I was resting? What were you planning to do once you got here?" I asked him giving him a quizzical look.  
  
"Uh. . .talk to you?" he answered hesitantly. "Well, now that I know that you're alright, I think I'll go to bed. Gotta rest up for the trip tomorrow."  
  
"Uh-huh. Bye Tasuki." He left and I put my CD player and everything else I took out away. I was guessing we had to get up early but I didn't want to go to sleep. I laid down on my bed and thought about everything. My last thought was of Tasuki. . . Why did he really care where I was at dinner? I smiled to myself thinking about the way he tried to cover for himself. I loved being able to turn things around on people. With that in mind, I allowed myself to slip off to a nice. . . peaceful sleep. . .  
  
  
  
Author's Note:  
  
Tasuki: I was just going to talk to her. Honest.  
  
Smack: Ha ha ha. Yea right. Sure ye were.  
  
Tasuki: ::grumbling:: Stupid jerky author.  
  
Smack: Come on Tasuki. You know you love me. Well, here's next chapters quote. (If I can find one. . .)  
  
I heard a rather disgusting sound, like someone puking. "Yea, that's real clean," I yelled on impulse.  
  
The noise stopped for a second. "It's not like I can help it. You think I wanna puke my brains out?" The noise resumed.  
  
Smack: Guess that will have to do. It was nice and long and probably the best quote I can find from the chapter. Just a warning, the next chapter will probably be a little shorter than usual so don't expect much, ok? 


	13. I Hate Boats!

Disclaimer: See chapters one through ten.  
  
Thanks to. . .  
  
Otaku Pitcher: The last chapter was different? Hmm. . .I suppose it was a little bit different from my normal writing style. I don't know if I really have a writing style. Thanks for noticing. Tasuki wins occasionally. Well. . .never recently but it will happen someday. Maybe. Well. . .probably.  
  
mini: You reread them when I send them to you, right? I guess that's good enough. Guinea pig. And I'll update my other stories when I get to it. You know I've been working on Destiny but it just hasn't been working for me. I type fast enough too. :P  
  
Author's Note: Sorry this took a little longer to get up than normal. I had a busy weekend. I wanted to warn you in advance. While this is a rather long chapter, it's kind of lacks a little in the importance to plot category. It's still important but it's just a fun little chapter. I promise that it will be at least somewhat humorous! Just look at the title. . .it has to be somewhat amusing with a title like that, right? I'll shut up now.  
  
'. . .' = Yume's thoughts  
  
Chapter 13: I Hate Boats!  
  
I stood on a huge boat waiting for the others to board. Tamahome and Tasuki were arguing about one thing or another, like usual. I may have only been here for a few days but I was beginning to see what these people's personalities were like. I wasn't really listening to the fight, although I probably would have enjoyed it more if I did, but I don't think that Tasuki really liked boats or water. I didn't either. Well, I loved the ocean but I think boats are kind of boring. There's not much to do on them. I sighed. The morning seemed to fly by as I was getting ready but now it seems to have slowed to an almost insufferable pace. I looked back at the fight. Tamahome was about to throw Tasuki into the water and Tasuki looked like he was about to cry. As amusing as the fight is, I decided to put an end to it. The sooner everyone gets on this boat, the sooner everyone gets off the boat, (if that makes any sense). I reached into my bag and pulled out my camera along with something else. I didn't take out the camera to solve the problem; I just wanted to take a picture. It was the other item that would save the day, so to speak. "Hey everyone! Come here for a second!" I called down to them. The group stopped what they were doing and gave me a blank stare except for Nuriko who just sent me a "hell no" look. Miaka spotted the camera and figured out was I going to do.  
  
"Everybody get in close together! Yume is going to take a picture!" she exclaimed. Naturally, they listened to her. "Can you take an extra picture for me?" she asked as they got in formation.  
  
"Sure. I was going to take one for Hotohori too so he'll have something to remind him of you guys," I replied. I set up to take the picture and was just about to when Tasuki asked if I was going to get in. "Someone has to take the picture and I'm the only one besides Miaka who actually knows how to use a camera and Miaka has to be in the picture. It's not like I'm really one of your group. You guys probably don't even want me in the picture."  
  
"Well, on this trip you are part of the group, you know. It can't be that hard to use that thing. Teach someone else how to do it," Chichiri suggested.  
  
I decided against teaching someone else how to do it; I didn't want to risk anything happening to my camera. I just put it on timer mode instead and got in the picture next to Miaka. I set it so it would take three copies: one copy for myself, one for Miaka, and one for Hotohori (since he couldn't go). Once that was done, Tasuki resumed his stand against water. I pulled him to the side and showed him the other thing I took out of my bag. "What are you going to do with that? I thought we agreed that you wouldn't show anyone that picture," he panicked. I allowed an evil expression to appear on my face.  
  
"I said that I might not show anyone but if you don't get on the boat right now, I'll show the whole group," I threatened. He looked really angry and tried to grab the picture. I flicked it in front of his face once before turning around. "No grabbing of the picture, Tasuki." I darted on board the ship and waited to make eye contact with him before saying, "Hey everyone! Come look at this! It's really funny." Tasuki glared at me for a second and then ran onto the ship, too blinded by anger to worry about his fear of water. Everyone, (minus Nuriko), came over to see what was going on. "Tasuki got on the boat! Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go find somewhere to hide!"  
  
"Oh no you don't!" Tasuki yelled. Fortunately for me, the group was in his way so he couldn't run after me right away, giving me some time to find a suitable hiding place.  
  
I ran into the inner part of the ship, where they were keeping Shiriko. They didn't want him running all over the ship so they insisted that I keep him down there. 'I should be safe here. Shiriko wouldn't won't let anyone hurt me.' I put my bag down and settled down next to my dog. "I'm sorry they have to keep you down here Shiriko. I'll stay with you for awhile so you won't be lonely," I said to him. I sat there happily for a while, escaping my fate, until Tama the cat walked in. "Hey Tama. What are you doing here?" I asked the cat. He just meowed and pulled out a huge bright red sign with an arrow on it and pointed it at me. I heard footsteps. "Traitor!" I whispered as I crawled into the far corner behind some boxes. I forgot my bag but I didn't have time to retrieve it. 'Damn it! Now he will definitely know that I'm down here!'  
  
"So she's in here. I should have known that she'd be near Shiriko. Well there's her stuff so I guess I can give you your reward," a low growly voice said. I heard Tama meow happily and smelt fish. 'He'd trade me in for one measly fish? Is that all I'm worth to him?' "Now get out of here Tama!" The cat meowed one last time and I heard the quiet pitter-patter of padded cat feet. I couldn't see anything so I had to trust on my hearing. "So Shiriko, where's your owner today?" 'Shiriko wouldn't trade me in. He loves me too much.' Shiriko just growled at the intruder. "Damn dog! I'll never figure out why she likes you so much." 'If I didn't know better, I'd think he was jealous of a dog!' I heard him move around the small room. "Ok Yume. I know you're in here so just come out quietly and we can get this over with," the voice said. I crouched behind the boxes even more.  
  
"Tasuki, would you leave her alone already? You've been searching this boat for over an hour by now! I don't know what she did but harassing her dog isn't going to help. All that's going to do is make the dog hate you even more, which isn't going to win you any points with Yume. Give it up already, you know!" another voice said from the doorway. 'I'll have to thank Chichiri later!'  
  
"I am not harassing Shiriko!" Tasuki denied. I heard Shiriko etch closer to him. "Oh come on Shiriko! Leave me alone!"  
  
"Shiriko!" I whispered quietly. Shiriko obediently walked to the boxes and sat down. "Good boy!" It was only then that I realized I had just given myself away. 'I'm so stupid.'  
  
"So that's where you've been hiding! Thanks a lot Shiriko! You pointed me right to her!" Tasuki exclaimed, walking towards the boxes. Shiriko snarled at him and I backed into the corner even more, if that was even possible. 'Please let me disappear. Please let me disappear. Please, please, please let me disappear!'  
  
"Come on Tasuki. Let's go before Shiriko rips your arm off," Chichiri ordered. 'Thank you Chichiri! I love you! You're the best!' my mind yelled.  
  
"Fine. But I'll get you later, Yume." They left and I crawled out of the corner.  
  
"I hate boats. There's no place to hide and nothing to do," I complained. I examined my "room" and searched for other hiding places. None were nearly as good. 'But he knows about the good one! Wait! I know! I'll just change the room around!' I began to rearrange the boxes into a more comfortable arrangement. I made sure that there were plenty of places to hide as well. "Now that that's done, I'll go up to the top deck. I need some fresh air and there's always a chance that no one will bother me." I grabbed my CD player and changed the CD to Godsmack's "Awake." I wanted to block out the world and this was one of the perfect CDs to do that with. I put on my headphones and left my sanctuary to face the "real" world.  
  
No one was around when I got on deck but I didn't mind. I found a little secluded spot and sat down. It was nice just to sit and watch the ocean or whatever body of water we were traveling on. I didn't even know where we are so how could I know what body of water we were on? The music was surprisingly peaceful and I found myself in an almost tranquil state. Sadly, I knew that these moods never lasted. Someone or something always came by and disturbed me. I sighed and got rid of the thought. No sense in ruining the mood.  
  
Miraculously, no one bothered me for quite some time. And when they actually did, it was just to tell me that dinner was done and to show me to my "official" room. I was to share one with Miaka but I didn't really mind. It wasn't like I was going to spend much time in there anyway.  
  
The next morning, the sky was perfectly blue and the "body of water" was perfect for sailing. Unfortunately, Tasuki had developed a case of seasickness so there was no one for me to "play" with. I moped around the boat, bored out of my mind. 'Now I remember why I hate boats so much! They're the most boring thing in the world.' "What's wrong, Yume? You look so bored," a voice said. I recognized the voice as Miaka's.  
  
"That's because I am," I answered, unenthusiastically. "Boats are boring."  
  
"Why don't you go pay Tasuki a visit?" Miaka suggested, that obnoxious "I know something you don't know" twinkle in her eyes.  
  
"Because I really don't want puke on me and I'm sure that if I go around him, I'll probably get more than just a little on me," I replied, annoyed. I was getting sick of her.  
  
"I'm sure he wouldn't puke on you," she said, putting an annoyed stress on the word "you." I had enough. I didn't need her suggestive comments about Tasuki and me. I was mad enough already.  
  
"Look, Miaka. Whatever it is that you know or think you know, I don't honestly care. I know that you're hinting at something but I doubt I'll agree or like it so you can stop now," I snapped. I got up and left. I wanted to be alone and since that was obviously not gonna happen here, I'd just find somewhere else to mope. On my little boat "tour," I found a nice spot where no one was. Or so I thought. I heard a rather disgusting sound, like someone puking. "Yea, that's real clean," I yelled on impulse.  
  
The noise stopped for a second. "It's not like I can help it! You think I wanna puke my brains out?" The noise resumed.  
  
I walked towards the source of my discomfort and found Tasuki leaning over the rail. "Sorry 'bout that Tasuki. I heard somewhere that rubbing your back helps cure seasickness. Want we to do that?" I asked. He nodded and I proceeded to rub his back. After a few minutes of back rubbing, he stopped throwing up, for now anyway.  
  
"Thanks, Yume," he said. He still looked pale and I feared that this temporary relief was not going to last.  
  
"No problem," I replied. I leaned against the rail, allowing a cool breeze to blow behind me. It was a welcome relief not so much from the heat but from the smell.  
  
"No really. Thanks for staying here and helping me. Most people would have ignored me." 'This isn't like Tasuki. He's never this thankful. Why is he being so nice? Maybe it's a seasickness induced kinda niceness,' I thought.  
  
"Really, Tasuki. Don't worry about it," I replied. I looked at the ocean and sky. Some dark storm clouds had started to appear in the sky and the water was a lot rougher. Something told me that the nice weather wasn't going to last much longer and I had a feeling that nature wasn't what was causing this. Tasuki hadn't completely gotten over his seasickness so I couldn't move him just yet but I had a feeling that a storm was coming.  
  
  
  
Author's Note:  
  
Smack: That was more of a filler chapter but it was important in its own little way. ( It seems like Tasuki and Yume actually have something in common: they both hate boats!  
  
Tasuki: Ugh! Why'd you have to make us go on a boat, Smack? I hate boats.  
  
Smack: I know but I had to. It'll be over soon, don't worry.  
  
Tasuki: ::reeling:: It better be. . .  
  
Smack: ::sweat drops:: Well. . .I'll just give you the preview of the next chapter now, ok?  
  
"Don't move, Yume. I'll go get help," Tasuki declared. I could have slapped myself but I didn't want to let go of the railing. He could have helped me himself!  
  
Smack: Yea. . .that's the best I could come up with for that next chapter. I forgot how short I made that chapter. I'll have to fix that. . . ::continues to mumble about random things that she has messed up on (long list):: 


	14. Storms Suck!

Disclaimer: See the last chapter, which will tell you to see chapters one through nine. Have a nice day. (  
  
Thanks to. . .  
  
Cortney: A new reviewer! Yay!!! I'm glad you like my story.  
  
miLady: I love Tasuki moments, too. They're so fun to write. And Nakago does make an actual appearance in a few chapters. Though I don't think you will like it too much. . .  
  
Renee: Thanks!!!  
  
Author's Note: I'm sooooo unbelievably sorry that this chapter took so long to get up. I haven't been doing much in the way of my stories lately. I got a puppy and she's taking up all my time. She follows me everywhere! It's like having a new, obnoxious shadow! And then there was Christmas and Fanfiction.net stopped working for me. Damn AOL. . . So I'm sorry. I'll try and make it up to you guys by having another chapter up before the end of the year. I don't know. If anyone is looking into this story in the long run, I've decided that there is going to be a sequel. We'll need one with the ending I have planned. Well, that's it.  
  
Chapter 14: Storms Suck! (I'm on a roll! "I Hate Boats" and now "Storms Suck!" How do I do it?)  
  
I took another look at the sky. The clouds were moving in rapidly, more rapidly than I thought was possible. The sea was getting rougher by the minute as well, which meant more quality time with Tasuki. As he reeled over the side of the boat and I rubbed his back, I tried to keep my mind off the smell and focus on something else. I thought about how everybody acted so weird after I talked to Taiitsu-kun and then Chichiri told me that story. I was flattered, in a way. It was nice that he trusted me with something so personal but I couldn't seem to figure out the reason behind it. 'Was he trying to imply that no matter how bad I look that people could still like me?' I didn't know. "Ugh. . .I think I'm ok-" Tasuki started but couldn't finish because the boat started to rock violently, causing another wave of seasickness.  
  
"I know you're sick but we probably shouldn't be so close to the edge." I had a bad feeling and it wasn't going away. "I'll get a bucket and then we should go back to your room, ok? You can lie down and get some rest." 'And I can take a break from all this niceness. It's just not me.' He nodded hesitantly. "I'll be right back." I ran around looking for a bucket. I finally found one but had to practically steal it from one of the members of the crew. He seemed to think that his job mopping the floor was more important than whatever I needed it for. It took me a while but I convinced him. "I'm back, Tasuki! And I brought the bucket!" I yelled. Just then, lightening struck the boat causing it to rock. Tasuki was still bent over the edge and if I didn't get there in time, he'd fall overboard and I had a pretty good feeling that he couldn't swim. I ran over to where he was and pushed him away from the edge. The problem was that in doing so, I lost my balance and fell over the railing, doing exactly what I was trying to prevent Tasuki from doing. "Help!" I cried. I was holding on to the railing and I didn't know how long my strength would last.  
  
"Don't move, Yume. I'll go get help," Tasuki declared. I would have slapped myself but I didn't want to let go of the railing. He could have helped me himself!  
  
I waited for a couple of minutes before yelling in desperation, "Could ya hurry up a little? I don't know how long I can hold on!"  
  
A couple of minutes later, Tasuki followed by Tamahome and Nuriko appeared over the railing. Nuriko smirked down at me. He looked like he was really enjoying this. "Well, this is an interesting little dilemma," he said.  
  
"Could you please help me?" I asked. He smirked but grabbed my arm, lifting me up. Once I was safely on the other side of the railing, I thanked him.  
  
"Thanks for saving me, Nuriko," I said, trying to be nice.  
  
"I'm surprised you didn't know better than to stay away from the side of the ship when the sea is rough," Tamahome scolded.  
  
"Well, I don't know, Tamahome. It doesn't seem like she has much common sense," Nuriko sneered.  
  
"Actually, I was the one that was by the railing. Yume saw that the ocean was rough and pushed me out of the way. Otherwise, I'd be overboard," Tasuki admitted. Nuriko looked shocked but before he could say anything, we heard an ear-piercing scream followed by a "SPLASH!" 'What now?'  
  
We ran to the source of the noise only to find Miaka splashing around in the water. She looked like she was running out of strength, quickly too. I kicked off my shoes, got up on the railing and jumped over before anyone could protest. I grabbed onto her arm and tried to keep her above water. "Throw us a rope or one of those lifesaver things!" I yelled. They found a rope, (I guess lifesavers haven't been invented yet) and threw it to us. I let Miaka go first and helped her climb up. Tamahome was holding the rope and the minute Miaka got on board, let go of it causing me to land in the water again. "Gee thanks Tamahome! I love you too!" I yelled as I fell. Nuriko grabbed it but another bolt of water sent him into the water along with the rope. "We should try and find some land," I suggested.  
  
"Yea and where are we going to find this land? We're in the middle of a huge body of water!" he responded sarcastically. (A/N I still don't know what body of water they are on. Sorry. ^_^;)  
  
Just then, another bolt of lightening struck a rock cave not too far from us. "Right there," I answered, only half sure that we could make it there in one, not charred, piece.  
  
We swam towards the cave as fast as we could: if the lightening struck the water again we'd be dead for sure. Nuriko made it there first and pulled me up. We entered the cave and Nuriko even managed to start a fire. Like it or not, we were stuck together and I decided to try and make the best of it. Or so the plan started out. It wasn't going to be as easy as I hoped. "Our clothes are soaked. We should try and dry them over the fire," Nuriko advised.  
  
"How? I am not taking mine off," I replied, giving him a disgusted, "so you aren't really gay" look. I sneezed and shivered, losing the effect. He rolled his eyes at me.  
  
"You have to or you'll get sick. Trust me, if there was another way I'd suggest it," he responded. I sighed in defeat and removed my soaked tank top and jeans, placing them near the fire. "You do know that regardless of this situation, I still don't like you or trust you. I'll be watching you."  
  
'I bet you will. . .' "I don't really care whether or not you like me or trust me. And I don't like you either so I guess we're even," I retorted. "But thanks for saving me."  
  
"You're welcome but I wouldn't get cocky. I only saved you because Taiitsu- kun said you'd be important so I couldn't just let you die, not until you do what you have to, at least."  
  
"Gee thanks," I replied sarcastically.  
  
We remained in silence after that, listening to the sound of the beating rain. I sat huddled by the fire, trying to get warm and hide myself at the same time. I didn't like sitting around in my underwear. It was just weird. "I wonder how everyone else is doing. That storm seemed a little weird, almost like it had a mind of its own, you know? I hope they're ok," I said, saying out loud what I had been thinking.  
  
Nuriko looked up at me. "I was wondering the same thing. I think Nakago may have had something to do with the storm. It was just too convenient. Now we'll be detained, not just 'til the storm moves out but they'll have to come looking for us, too. I don't know how he could have done it though," he commented. 'If Nakago had something to do with it, then it's probably my fault. I told him when we were leaving. But he almost killed me quite a few times in the process. The first was when I tried to save Tasuki. That means. . .he might have seen me trying to save him. Shit!' "Yume. . .hello? I was talking to you."  
  
"Huh? Oh sorry. I was just thinking about something. What were you saying?" 'Ok, Yume. No more blanking out,' my mind instructed me.  
  
He sighed. "I was asking you if you had any ideas on what we should do while we wait for help. Never mind, though, I can see you won't be much help."  
  
I remembered my CD player. I had left it in the pocket of my pants. 'I hope I didn't ruin it. . .' I checked and it still worked. "Well, I don't know what you're going to do but I'm going to listen to my CD player. You can have fun on your own," I retorted. He looked a little surprised. 'Did he think I was just going to let him get away with that little comment? I was trying to be civil before but he just has to mock me. Maybe I'll find out why he hates me so much while we're stuck here.'  
  
"Fine. I'm just going to sit here until help comes," he responded.  
  
So we sat by the fire: me, listening to my music, Nuriko just sitting there waiting for help to come. I moved so that I could lean against the wall. I had my music down low enough so that if Nuriko talks to me, I'll be able to hear him. I tapped my foot to the music (an old habit so I wouldn't sing and embarrass myself) and sat staring into space. I thought home. My home. And Shiriko and about my mom and Tony. I imagined what they would be doing now, if we were all actually home for once. Tony would probably be joking around about something and my mom might actually laugh for once. I'd probably be off watching TV or something. I wasn't really much of a "family time" person. I cared immensely about my family but didn't always want to spend time with them. I tried to be thankful for all that my mom does for us but I still don't always want to be around them. My parents are always fighting and I get sick of it. I liked my dad but I wish he'd just leave already. It would do us all some good. Tony says that I'm just like my dad. I haven't decided whether or not that's a good thing yet.  
  
I steered my thoughts away from dad and home and thought about the others. I wondered how they were doing. I hoped they were ok. I could faintly hear the wind whipping through the cave walls. I figured the storm must still be raging. 'Just please let them survive long enough so that they can rescue me,' I thought. Nuriko gave me another mean look. 'Please. I don't like being stuck with fag boy much. He might go straight on me.'  
  
  
  
Author's Note:  
  
Smack: I know, I know. I can hear the complaints from here. "What? It was late and it's even a short chapter! That lazy good for nothing author!" I tried, ok?  
  
Tasuki: Serves you right.  
  
Smack: Shut up you!!!!  
  
Tasuki: ::laughs::  
  
Smack: I'll just give you the preview of the next chapter now. . .  
  
"If you're trying to seduce me so you can control me like everyone else you should stop now." 'Seduce you! I'm just trying to talk to you!' my mind yelled.  
  
I didn't move but gave him a hurt look. "Me seduce you?" My look changed to a mocking one. "You're gay, remember? If I were seducing anyone, my efforts would be pointless on you. Unless, of course, I was trying to see how long it takes for a gay guy to go straight when stuck alone on an island with a girl. Then again, it could be one of those survivor shows," I retorted, knowing he wouldn't know what a survival show is.  
  
Smack: I gave you a long quote to make up for the short chapter. You have to wonder; will those two ever get along?  
  
Tasuki: My money's on no.  
  
Smack: ::laughs evilly and disappears:: 


	15. Quality Time With Nuriko

Disclaimer: See chapters one through nine.  
  
Thanks to. . .  
  
Otaku Pitcher: I don't need an apology. You're like my best reviewer ('cause you were my first () and I know that things come up. I can't and don't expect you to be staring at the computer screen waiting refreshing it every five minutes waiting for my story to show up on the list. I'm glad you like my portrayal of Nuriko, though.  
  
miLady: Putting her with Tasuki would be what most people would expect, wouldn't it? I thought about doing that when I first started this chapter but with the direction I wish to take with this story, it would be better to have her with Nuriko at the moment. Her and Tasuki will have their time, don't worry.  
  
Me, Myself, and eye: Thanks!  
  
Gokuchan15: Smack is confused. You left the same email address as the reviewer before you. Are you two the same person? Either way, I don't mean to sound mean but SHIRIKO may get mad if you refer to him as "Fido." You could have just said the dog. Sorry, but I dislike the whole "Fido" name for dogs. . .One of Smack's pet peeves I suppose.  
  
Renee: What would you do? Hehe. Never mind, I understand. ;) Well, I'm not telling what they do.  
  
Author's Note: Yea, I know this one took a while, too. But it's worth waiting for. Really! Well, the late beginning is blah but the rest is really important. Pay attention while reading or you'll regret it later. Plus, this is the longest chapter of the story (so far) so enjoy!  
  
Chapter 15: Quality Time With Nuriko  
  
You can only listen to the same CD so many times, (no matter how good it is), and after flipping through songs constantly for about an hour, I reached my limit on this one. My butt was sore from sitting for so long on such an uncomfortable surface and I was sick of being in this stupid cave. Plus, I think I have a rock up my ass. Needless to say, I was not a happy camper. "Are the clothes dry yet?" I asked in an irritated voice, moving back towards the fire.  
  
"I don't know, see for yourself. I'm not your servant," came the annoyed response.  
  
I moved next to him and started to check on the clothes to see if they were dried. "Well, your shirt is. My stuff is almost dry but if I leave it over the fire for much longer, it will probably shrink." I threw him his shirt and pulled mine over my head.  
  
"Thanks." 'Well, he's a sociable one. Wait, I forgot that he hates me,' I thought as I pulled the jeans Miaka gave me back on.  
  
A couple more minutes of silence went by and my mind felt like it was going to explode. The silence was getting to it. It needed to talk. "What are you thinking about?" I asked, taking a seat next to him.  
  
"Nothing, really. I'm just thinking," he answered. He gave me a suspicious look and I realized how close I was to him. "If you're trying to seduce me so you can control me like all the other guys in our group you should stop now." 'Seduce you! I'm just trying to talk to you!' my mind yelled.  
  
I didn't move but gave him a hurt look. "Me seduce you?" My look changed to a mocking one. "You're gay, remember? If I were seducing anyone, my efforts would be pointless on you. Unless, of course, I was trying to see how long it takes for a gay guy to go straight when stuck alone on an island with a girl. Then again, it would a great survivor show. 'Gay Guy on Island With Girl: How long will he last?'" I retorted, knowing he wouldn't know what a survival show is. I laughed a little at his confusion.  
  
I guess he decided that the survivor show comment wasn't worth trying to figure out and gave me a look of pure hatred. "You have no idea why I am the way I am," he finally said.  
  
"No I don't. Enlighten me."  
  
"You don't deserve to hear this."  
  
'Uh, ok? Now what'd I get myself into?' "Ok then. If you don't want to tell me or I'm not 'worthy' or whatever, don't tell me. I'm sure I can survive without hearing your life story just like you can survive without hearing mine." He glared and at me and I began to think that maybe he was serious. 'Maybe he has a good reason. I should give him a break.' "Look, Nuriko, I'm sorry. I'll listen if you want me to. I'm just used to us not getting along so I kept my sarcasm on."  
  
(A/N: Yea, I know you know what's coming. Feel free to skim over it if you want. Again, I'm not sure if I got this perfect but work with me, ok?)  
  
He sighed. "I understand. I guess I can tell you. I wasn't always a cross dresser. I had a younger sister, Kourin. We looked so much alike, people thought we were twins." He paused for a second. 'On God. . .not another sad story! I'm not good at the sympathy thing! I'm all out of nice things to say!' "She used to follow me everywhere, always wanting to be with me. One day, I walking in the market and she called after me to wait up. I turned around and saw her run across the road. She was run over by a horse. She died immediately. I couldn't accept her death. My parents told me that she was gone and to forget about her but I just couldn't. I started wearing her clothes. I thought that I could continue her life, somehow." He stopped and I guessed that he was finished.  
  
"I'm sorry Nuriko. I had no idea." 'Well, of course you didn't. You really suck at this, don't you?' a voice in my head said. I never heard that one before. I ignored it for now. I was supposed to be making Nuriko feel better, not getting more proof that I'm clinically insane. "I only called you that because you called me a slut so I had to think of a name as good to call you. I won't do it again, though," I promised. 'That was pathetic,' the voice from before said. 'Who are you?' I asked it but got no response. 'That's it. . .I am officially insane.'  
  
"I know you aren't a slut. I was just calling you that because I didn't want them to trust you right away. Sometimes Miaka trusts people too easily," he replied. 'Got that right,' it continued. 'It's pathetic the way the priestesses are chosen nowadays. It's like anyone can come in and become a priestess. Sad and pathetic.'  
  
"Wanna call a truce? Our fighting is pretty much fighting since I understand why you are the way you are and you don't actually think I'm a slut. Tell you what; I won't call you a gay cross dresser if you don't spread lies about me. Deal?"  
  
"Ok." We shook on it.  
  
"We're really going to throw them off when we get back. They probably expect one of us to be dead or unconscious when they find us," I joked. We laughed but didn't have long to because a bolt of lightening hit the roof of the cave. 'I'd leave if I were you.' "Run!!!" I yelled.  
  
Ok, so there really weren't all that many places to run. We managed to escape without getting hit by any renegade rocks from the ceiling but were stuck back out in the rain. The waves were starting to surge up on the small path that was clear. A huge wave soared over me and swept me off the edge. I was caught by surprise and tried to yell for help. As I opened my mouth, I felt my throat and lungs fill with water. I shut my eyes. Something grabbed my arm as my mind slipped away.  
  
I sensed the water disappear around me and opened my eyes to see why. I was floating through a clear, blue liquid under a sunny sky. It looked like the Caribbean Sea. I heard murmured voices but I didn't want to reply or listen. I simply wanted to lay back and float in this beautiful world. I didn't want to leave but one thing was troubling my mind and disturbing my otherwise tranquil state: how did I get here? Am I dead? These questions troubled me. I heard more voices but my mind was tuning them out. It didn't want to hear them. They sounded sad. I didn't want to be sad. I was content. I felt a strong urge direct me out into the water. "I like it here. I don't want to move. Why should I?" I asked the invisible force. I started to feel warm.  
  
"It's not your time. You must go back to reality. You cannot stay here for you have not fulfilled your purpose yet," a male voice answered. It sounded just like the one that had been mocking me when I was talking to Nuriko. 'Nuriko. . .I wonder if he got out of the cave ok.'  
  
"Wait a sec. . . What the hell is going on? Are you God or something? And what do you mean 'fulfill my purpose?' Do you mean destiny?" I questioned as I. The urge to go out into the water was getting stronger.  
  
He laughed at me. An invisible voice just laughed at me! Have I really sunk this low? Insanity sucks. "No, no I'm not God. Not the one you're talking about anyway. I'm afraid I can't answer your other questions at this time," he replied. 'Damn unhelpful disembodied voices. They stab ya in the back every time.' I felt the warmness go away and knew I was left alone.  
  
"Yea, that's real helpful! You want me to go back to reality and you won't even tell me how!" I yelled into the emptiness. The water was starting to get cold and the sunny sky was turning dark and stormy. I wasn't sure I wanted to stay here anymore.  
  
"You have to want to go back. Do you want to?" the voice asked.  
  
"Sure, why not."  
  
"No! You have to actually want to! And hurry! You're running out of time!"  
  
'Running out of time? That doesn't sound good.' What was once a calm clear sea was now a stormy typhoon. "Ok, ok! I want to go back! Just get me outta this place! NOW!" I yelled. I closed my eyes to avoid being hit in the face with a wave but it never came. I felt a jolt go through my body and opened my eyes, hesitantly, one at a time. I was back in my room on the boat. How that happened. . .I had no idea. 'I'm alive!' I thought with joy. 'But I'm only wearing my underwear. What's going on?'  
  
I looked around the room. It appeared to be empty so I got out of bed. I felt a little dizzy so I sat back down. I tried to grab my bag but couldn't quite reach. "Augh! This sucks! I can't even reach my bag!" I complained.  
  
I heard a rustling on the bunk above me. "Huh? Who's in here?" a low, growly voice I immediately recognized asked.  
  
"Well, this is my room," I replied. I saw a head look down from the top bunk. 'Tasuki! Wait. . .he's here. . .why?' I grabbed a blanket and pulled it around me. "I still have to get some clothes on. Ya mind turning around?"  
  
He blushed and obediently turned around. "Sorry 'bout that." I hesitantly made for my bag and grabbed the clothes that I had been wearing before my little "accident" over the ship. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw him start to turn around. 'Typical guy.'  
  
"No peeking! Have some decency," I yelled. I pulled on my pants, shirt and sweatshirt. 'I think he's seen enough skin for now plus I'm cold. I still want to know why he was in here when I'm just in my underwear. That has me a little freaked out.' "All right, o inpatient one. I'm done."  
  
Tasuki got off the bed and looked at me kind of funny. 'Damn fuckin pervert.' "I'm glad you're finally up," he said. 'Yea sure ya are.' I don't know if almost dying made me a little irritable but I was not in a mood to be nice to him.  
  
"How long have I been laying there?" I asked.  
  
"Just about two days. They thought you'd never wake up," he answered. "We'll arrive tomorrow morning, though."  
  
"Two days?!?" I exclaimed. 'It felt like ten minutes to me.' The fact astounded me but I soon recovered from shock and decided to address the other matter at hand. "What exactly were you doing in here, anyway? Last I checked this was mine and Miaka's room, not yours." I looked at him suspiciously. He had been alone in here for who knows how long with me while I was separated from my body. God only knows what he was doing while I was "unconscious."  
  
"S. . .sit. . .sitting. I was just sitting," he answered slowly. 'Yea, that wasn't suspicious,' I thought with disgust.  
  
"Don't you have your own room to sit in? And why were you on Miaka's bed?"  
  
"Yours was taken." I just looked at him, my face frozen in an unmistakable expression of shock, jaw dropped. "I was just kidding! Ever sine you've been 'gone' I haven't had a moments peace. Everybody was asking me how I felt and if I needed a hug and shit like that. I just needed a place where I could sit and get away from everyone," he quickly covered from himself. I still was a little shocked from the "yours was taken" comment but at least my face was responding again.  
  
"Stop lying to the poor girl, Tasuki. She was out for two days and you still lie to her!" a feminine sounding voice said from the doorway. "We all know that you were waiting for her to wake up since you found us and how worried you've been. Just tell the girl the truth."  
  
"Nuriko! I'm so glad to see you!" I said over emotionally. I had to do something to mess with Tasuki's head after he lied to me. "Don't tell me Tasuki the fearless bandit was worried about little old me?" I added, watching Tasuki's expression carefully.  
  
"Nice to see you too Yume," he greeted, a little surprised. "And yes, he was actually worried about you."  
  
"I was only worried because if you died it would sort of be my fault. I just wanted a clear conscious and now that I know that you're ok, it's fine," he scoffed. "So I don't have to stay here anymore." He left the room, leaving me with Nuriko.  
  
"Thanks for saving me Nuriko."  
  
"No problem. I couldn't just you die, now could I?"  
  
I laughed a little at that remark. "I suppose not. But what happened after I went into my little coma?"  
  
"I grabbed your arm just as you went under but had a little trouble pulling you back on the island. When I did finally get you up, you wouldn't respond. I thought you might be dead. Help soon came and even Mitsukake couldn't heal you. You said something about your spirit not being with your body and that all we could to help was wait," Nuriko answered. "We were right, though. One of the Seiryuu Seven caused the storm. A woman named Soi, actually."  
  
"Huh. Go figure. Anyway, I want to go check on Shiriko. I miss him."  
  
"All right then, see you around." We both left the room. 'And I still don't know how I ended up in my underwear. I guess they didn't fell like giving me some clothes once I got back on board. They probably preferred me like that,' I thought as I walked to Shiriko's "room."  
  
  
  
Author's Note:  
  
Smack: Phew! That was a long chapter, huh? Well. . .longer than I normally write. So, was it worth the wait? I hope so cause if not then I don't know what to tell you.  
  
Kim: Tell them that it's too bad.  
  
Smack: Kim! What are you doing here? This is my fic!  
  
Kim: So?  
  
Smack: So?!? So leave!  
  
Kim: ::smirking:: Is that any way to treat your friends?  
  
Smack: ((getting angry) Grr. . .Kim you are not my friend! Oh well, make yourself useful and give them the preview of the next chapter, ok?  
  
Kim: ::sighs:: Fine. . .  
  
"Ok, now I know something is up. What's so weird about mediating that you guys have to act all covert and stuff?" I asked, glancing at them suspiciously.  
  
"Remember what we were talking about before we got on the boat? When it's time for you to know, you will, you know?" Chichiri "answered."  
  
Kim: Nice quote Smack. Buh-bye everyone. See you all in another fic and website! ::disappears into Chichiri's hat::  
  
Smack: Sorry about her, you guys. Hopefully she won't come back. Until next time! ::follows Kim:: 


	16. Not Again!

Disclaimer: Please see chapters one through nine. Thank you.  
  
Thanks to. . .  
  
Renee: Thanks! That should cover it, right?  
  
Otaku Pitcher: I guess it wasn't that long of a wait. Oh, thanks again for reviewing my new story. I thanked you in the chapter, too, but wanted to thank you here. It is nice when Tasuki has his sweet moments, isn't it? He has a couple but look for them on a regular basis. Wouldn't want to ruin his bad boy bandit image, would I?  
  
RyogazGal: Wow! Thanks! I'm glad this is your favorite OC fic. Smack feels special. ( Um. . .I understand that you can't keep up with the story all the time. I'm glad you don't run your life around my story (I'd feel a little bit weird if ya did.) It would make a funny show, wouldn't it? I think I'd watch it too. Anyway, thanks again!  
  
Goku-chan: No need to be sorry. I should be. I was in a bad mood when I was doing the thank yous and forgot that Shiriko wasn't in that chapter much. And I'm sorry for going off on you like that. It was mean and immature. I'm sorry. . .  
  
AquaRose: You have a fic with a Yume too? Huh, what are the odds of that? I don't think I swear too much. I don't mean to. In the later chapters that aren't up yet, maybe but not in these ones. Well, thank you for joining my happy family of reviewers. (Ok, now that just sounded gay.) Anyway, thanks for reviewing!  
  
Author's Note: Well now, here's the lovely chapter 16. Well, it's not really lovely but whatever. Hey, if you guys notice a repeated element of non-monk explanations, pay attention to it. It might just be important. With, that, I will start the new chapter. . .  
  
'. . .' represent the thoughts of Yume. . .  
  
Chapter 16: Not Again! (Can't you ever get a straight answer from a monk?)  
  
Shiriko seemed to be taken care of properly and was quite happy to see me. I did miss him and it made me happy to know that he did the same for me. As I sat there and pet him, I thought about what Nuriko had said before, about how Tasuki was worried about me. 'Why would Tasuki worry about me? I don't understand.' I pondered the odds of him caring about me, even as a friend. 'A zillion to one. Nuriko must have been joking. There's no way that he was worried about me anyway but what he said,' I decided. 'Then why'd he hurry away so fast when Nuriko got there? He did admit that he was a little worried,' my mind chimed in. 'I hate it when it does that. At least it isn't that voice I was hearing before. . .' I thought. 'So he wouldn't be made fun of. He probably figured that Nuriko would stop telling me about "how worried" he was if he left,' I answered. But part of me wanted to believe that he was worried about me, that someone actually cared about me for once. 'That's because you like him,' my mind said. 'No, I don't!' "Ugh! I need to get my thoughts straight before I really do go insane! Sorry, Shiriko, I got to go," I said to Shiriko.  
  
I got to my room only to find it not peaceful enough. The walls kept making noises. I don't know. Perhaps I was just hearing things. I decided to go to the secluded spot where I had sat before I encountered Tasuki and "fell" overboard. It was right near the end of the ship and the cool sea breeze felt really good. I sat down cross-legged (a.k.a. Indian style) and touched my pointer fingers to my thumbs. I laid my hands on my knees, took a deep breath, and closed my eyes. I tried to clear my mind of any and all thoughts, concentrating only on the sound of my heartbeat and the crash of the waves as they hit the side of the ship. I attempted to let my mind slip away to let my spirit leave my body. I was doing an relaxation technique that I had preformed since I was little. Whenever life got too hard, when the constant arguing of my parents got too much, I'd slip away into my room or any other safe spot and leave it all. I'd remove all my problems from my mind and just sit. It was so peaceful, almost like I really was leaving my body and going into my own little world, where no one could follow unless I wanted them to. It gave me a sense of control in an otherwise uncontrollable world. And I always felt so clear headed afterwards. It was like everything I wanted to do became apparent. Today, however, it was not working.  
  
'I'm thinking too much, that's why.' I cleared my head and tried once more, this time successfully. It was completely safe, unless you were interrupted. Then you had to be careful. I felt my spirit soar through my own world and leave my problems behind. I heard, saw, or felt nothing but was in my world. 'That's why this is so dangerous. You loose connection with your physical self and form.' Once I felt I had reached my point of oneness, I let myself slip back into my body. I was reluctant to open my eyes and shred the last string that kept me in my world but did so slowly. I saw that I had been sitting there for quite sometime: the sun had already begun its descent from the heavens. I didn't care because my mind was cleared and finally what I had to do and my feelings were clear to me.  
  
I got up slowly and turned to find Chichiri, Chiriko, and Tasuki standing there, watching me. "So you are ok. You've been sitting there for a long time. We were getting worried, you know," Chichiri said.  
  
"I had some things to sort out. I'm just glad you didn't disturb me while I was doing it," I replied. 'They're looking at me weird again. Like I'm some sort of freak,' I noticed.  
  
"What exactly were you doing?" Chiriko asked.  
  
"To put it simply, I was mediating. If you interrupted me, you could have really messed me up," I answered.  
  
"Mediating, eh? I don't know of any kind of meditation that makes you-" Tasuki started but was stopped by a glance and jab from Chichiri.  
  
"Ok, now I know something is up. What's so weird about mediating that you guys have to act all covert and stuff?" I asked glancing at them suspiciously.  
  
"Remember what we talked about the day before we got on the boat? When it's time for you to know, you will, you know?" Chichiri replied. 'Those fortune cookies were right! Things people say really do come back to haunt you!'  
  
"You guys are never helpful! I'm going back to my room before you ruin my inner peace and oneness and I'll have to mediate all over again!" I exclaimed, storming away. Before I left earshot, I heard Tasuki ask Chichiri why they can't just tell me. 'Where's the fun in that?' I asked myself sarcastically. 'They'd rather have we wander around confused all the time so everyone can laugh at me. Damn unhelpful foreigners.'  
  
"Hey Yume. Can I talk to you for a minute?" I heard Chiriko's little voice asked.  
  
"Sure. What's on your mind, little guy?" I responded. I kind of liked the kid; he was shy but he seemed nice enough.  
  
He blushed a little. Why, I didn't know. "I was wondering if you could tell me a little bit about your world," he said hesitantly.  
  
"All right. I suppose I can do that. What do you want to know about it? It's nothing like this, I'll tell you that much. Well, some parts are similar but where I come from is a totally different place." He looked a little confused. "Tell you what, I have some of my school books with me. If you want, you can look at them."  
  
He looked interested, much more interested than the average kid when you ask them that, anyway, and I led him back to my room. I pulled out my global book (it has the most pictures) and showed him it. "What kind of writing is this?" he asked, glancing at the typed words as though they were some sort of alien code.  
  
"English. Oh yea, you probably can't read it. Umm. . .I could read it to you but it's kind of boring. Just look at the pictures for now. It'll give you an idea about what my world looks like. I can read the captions for you, if you want," I offered.  
  
"Can you write in English?" He looked more interested in the writing than the book. I nodded.  
  
"Want me to show you?" He nodded excitedly and I pulled out a piece of paper and a pen. "Here. I'll write my name first." He looked mesmerized as the pen glided across the paper, spelling out my name in clear, big letters. "There. All done. 'Yume Miller.' That's my name. Want me to write yours?"  
  
He looked at the writing, then at the pen, then at me. "Can you show me how to write my own name?" he asked. He sounded like a little child. I couldn't help but smile.  
  
"I suppose. Here, hold the pen like this." I placed the pen in his hand and had him hold it. I guided his hand carefully and wrote "Chiriko." "There ya go. 'Chiriko.' That's your name. I just hope I spelt it right."  
  
For the next hour, I went over how to use the pen and the ABCs. Then I taught him some basic words and how to write other names. "All right, Chiriko. I'm getting tired. You can keep the pen and I'll give you some more paper. Go practice in your room but now I need sleep," I said, getting him some fresh paper. He looked overjoyed.  
  
"Thanks a lot, Yume. I can see why Tasuki likes you." He took the supplies and skipped away happily. I sweat dropped. 'He doesn't like me!!!' I roared (in my head anyway).  
  
"Oh well. I've seen a kid so excited to be learning. Mitsukake is going to be pissed at me in the morning. Hehe. I should probably go check on Shiriko one last time before I call it a night,' I decided. As I was walking, I realized I hadn't run into any of the other warriors yet. I haven't even seen Miaka and she shares my room! This puzzled me. 'Maybe they've all just been busy.' Shiriko seemed fine other than the fact that he was completely bored out of his mind. 'I wonder who took care of him the whole time.' "Sorry buddy. You got to stay here for now. We should be there soon." I bid him goodnight and headed back to my room where I changed into my pajamas and got ready for bed. 'If what Tasuki says is true, then I'll need all the rest I can get.'  
  
"Hi Yume. Glad to see you up and about. But are you tired already?" Miaka's cheerful screech she calls a voice asked. 'Oh well. All good things must come to an end, I suppose.'  
  
"No, not really. I was just going to update the little journal that I've been keeping," I answered. Writing in my journal sounded like a good idea and maybe, just maybe, she wouldn't be able to read it. I got out the notebook that I had been using and a pen. I wrote the date (day 5, night), and started to write what had been happening starting with getting on the boat.  
  
Miaka came over and watched me as I wrote about the first day on the boat and how Tasuki chased me (day 3). I included my talk with Miaka on day 4 and other little stuff that had happened before and after that. "It's not polite to read someone else's journal, you know," I said. I couldn't write about what I had "discovered" while mediating or any really juicy stuff with her reading over my shoulder.  
  
"Oh, I can't read it. We haven't gotten that far in my English class," she replied. 'Well than what language are we speaking?' I asked myself. Thankfully, I didn't answer me, (for once). "You do realize that Tasuki was worried sick about you. Everybody was. Even Mitsukake couldn't help you."  
  
I resisted the urge to turn around, look her in the face and tell her to shut the fuck up (for now) and decided to take the more. . .diplomatic approach. "So I hear," I responded. "What makes you think Tasuki was so worried?" I continued writing in my journal, hoping to write all the important stuff before I exploded at her.  
  
"Well, he practically moved in here and he even took care of Shiriko, though the dog hates him," she answered. "He stayed in here the whole time, almost, waiting for you to wake up."  
  
I chose not to respond to that. It wasn't wroth the argument. I was tired and didn't feel like putting forth the effort it would take to fully win the argument. And I wasn't sure I could win this one. Miaka is pigheaded and always seems to believe whatever she wants, regardless of the facts. 'Perhaps he was actually worried about me. As a friend anyway. But I'm not. I'm their enemy and I can't forget that. When the time comes that they find out the truth about me, it'd be better for me not to be attached.' I kept on writing like what she had said had had no effect on me. "Well, I'm almost done and I'm tired so goodnight," I said firmly as I ended the final sentence.  
  
She looked a little shocked that I didn't want to continue our fun little girl bonding time but didn't say anymore about it. "Fine, goodnight," she replied, getting up to her bed. "Can I use your flashlight to get my pajamas out?"  
  
"Sure." I handed her the flashlight and put my notebook away. I rolled towards the wall, closed my eyes and waited for the relaxing hand of sleep to end this cursed day and allow me my first breath of peace.  
  
  
  
Author's Note:  
  
Smack: So how was it? It may not have been the longest chapter in the history of this fic but I think it was good in it's own special way. I wanted to give Chiriko a little part in this fic because I think Mitsukake's cat gets more publicity than him and he's a cool little kid in his own way.  
  
Tasuki: I was not worried about her!  
  
Smack: ::narrows eyes::  
  
Tasuki: I wasn't!  
  
Smack: ::gives him her famous "all-knowing" look:: I'll just give you the quote for the next chapter.  
  
"Up early again I see. What? Don't people in your world sleep?" I heard Nuriko's voice ask.  
  
"We sleep but I just woke up early for some reason," I answered.  
  
Kim: ::pops out of nowhere and points at Smack:: You gave them a crappy quote!  
  
Smack: So? I couldn't give them the others. It'd be too long. What are you doing here, anyway?  
  
Kim: I'm your muse!  
  
Smack: Oh Suzaku, have mercy on me. Make it go away. Make. It. Go. Away.  
  
Kim: ::grins evilly:: Byebye folks! 'Til next time! Weeeeeeeeee! 


	17. Here at Last!

Disclaimer: See chapters one through nine.  
  
Thanks to. . .  
  
Otaku Pitcher: I'm glad you agree with me. It always makes me happy when people agree with me. Also thanks for pointing out the spelling thing. That would so have bothered me if you didn't point it out. I always make typos but normally I pick them up. I guess that was the one that slipped by me.  
  
AquaRose: Ah the joys of love triangles. They are fun. Anyway, thanks for yet another review and maybe someday I'll read your fic. I say maybe because I'm always busy so I cannot be sure.  
  
Author's Note: Yea, I know I took a little longer than normal to get this chapter up. I was sick for a couple of days so that delayed me a bit and I was busy. Sorry. This chapter is a little weird. I have to warn you that Yume is herself again (meaning moody) so be prepared for some Yume drama. With that, I start the chapter.  
  
'. . .' are dialogue that occur in Yume's mind  
  
Chapter 17: Here at Last!  
  
I awoke suddenly and shivered. I knew I had been having another nightmare but couldn't remember all of it. I just remembered an overwhelming feeling of helplessness. I shivered again. 'God it's freakin' cold!' I noted. Thankfully, Miaka was still asleep. I didn't know why but I really wanted some alone time. I decided to walk around while everyone was still sleeping. I woke up feeling helpless for a reason and I wanted to know why.  
  
I left my room, (after getting dressed, of course), and walked to the edge of the boat. This spot seemed to be my favorite. It was so freezing outside I could see my breath perfectly. I watched it for a moment as I exhaled. The steam rose out in front of me and seemed to take on the shape of a mountain. 'Now, that's weird. I'm probably just imagining it,' I thought. I steered my thoughts to our trip. 'We must be getting close. Tasuki did say that we'd be there sometime today.' I turned my gaze from my breath to the water, which was a more attractive sight. 'I still don't even know where we're going or why we're going there. I just love being dragged along on things I have no part of. Oh well, if it's getting colder, which it definitely is, we must be going north. Shiriko should like that. I just wished I had brought some winter clothes with me instead of spring ones. . .Wait a sec. What am I saying? I didn't even pack!' I found myself thinking of home again. You never know how much you have until you lose it. Ha. Now I understand that old saying. 'I've been here for six days. I don't know if time passes the same in this world as it does in mine. If it does, I only have one day left until my birthday and until my time here without anyone knowing ends.'  
  
I searched the horizon for any sign of a break in the endless blue that had been my world for the past three days. I found one, far out in the distance, a single mountain jutted out into the skyline. I fixed my eyes upon the mountain and an overwhelming feeling of foreboding came over me. It seemed to come from everywhere all at once, catching me off guard. Something terrible was going to happen there, I could sense it. "Up early again I see. What. Don't people in your world sleep?" I heard Nuriko's voice ask, diverting my attention from the mountain to him.  
  
"We sleep but I've been waking up early for some reason the past few days," I answered, turning to him. "What brings you up and about this time of the morning?"  
  
"I don't know. I just woke up and wanted to check and see if we were there yet," he replied.  
  
I looked over at him more directly. "It is sure is cold. Where are we going anyway?"  
  
"To Hokkan, in the north."  
  
"Why are we even going to Hokkan? I honestly don't understand any of this. All this talk about celestial warriors, gods and priestesses is too much for someone like me to understand, especially when no one even bothers to explain it to me."  
  
"We're going to Hokkan to locate a sacred relic known as the Shinzaho, (A/N: I'm not sure how to spell it but I think that's how you do it), so we can summon Suzaku and save Konan," he explained. Unfortunately, how I was even more confused. I kept quiet, though, because I assumed that someday I'd figure it all out.  
  
"So where exactly in Hokkan is this Shinzaho?" I asked. 'I should at least know where we're going. I can always just "forget" to tell Nakago if I find out anything important. He won't know any different.'  
  
"We don't know exactly. We have to search for it," he confessed.  
  
"You don't know? How are you supposed to find one tiny relic if you don't even know where to start?" I said in an incredulous tone. Another old saying came to mind. "That's like trying to find a needle in a haystack!"  
  
He blinked a few times at me, obviously confused. "Huh? We're not looking for a needle; we're looking for a Shinzaho. It's a completely different object." I sweat dropped. I guess that saying hasn't been invented yet. 'Hey, that means that I came up with an old saying! Oh yea! Go me!'  
  
"Never mind that. The point of the saying is that trying to find one tiny thing when you don't even know where to start is practically impossible," I explained.  
  
"I guess we'll just have to split up and look for it," he answered. "Well, I'm going to go eat breakfast while there's still time. You know Miaka, the moment she gets up, all the food just disappears. Care to join me?"  
  
"Sure why not." He held out his arm and I linked mine around it and he led me to the kitchen.  
  
After eating breakfast, I went back to my room and repacked the few belongings I had. Nuriko gave me a cloak to wear over my clothes so I'd be warm and would be able to wear my clothes without drawing any unneeded attention to myself. And, I don't even have to wear a dress. 'He's a pretty nice guy now that we're getting along,' I thought as I pulled on the cloak. My stuff was all packed and everyone was still asleep! 'Bunch of lazy bums, I swear.' I grabbed my bag and headed down to where they were keeping my Shiriko. I would wait for our arrival there.  
  
I must have dozed off or something because the next time I opened my eyes, Shiriko's head was on my lap, I was leaning against a wall and we were about to arrive in the port! I put Shiriko back on the leash, grabbed my bag, and headed out of the room. It was cold, really cold, even colder than it was before, and now it is snowing. The others were up now and mingling in little groups all around the boat, obviously as anxious about our upcoming arrival as I was. I spotted Tasuki standing by himself and decided to head in the opposite direction before he noticed me. I don't know why, but I didn't really want to talk to him at the moment. "Hi, Chichiri," I said as I stood next to him.  
  
"Hi Yume. You feeling better this morning?" he asked. Shiriko sat down at his feet and licked his hand. Chichiri pet his head affectionately.  
  
"Yea, I guess so," I answered.  
  
"You and Nuriko sure seemed to have worked things out. That came as a surprise to all of us. We were sure you'd kill each other, you know." 'He's keeping to small talk. I wonder if he knows something that I don't.'  
  
"We called a truce. We knew we were going to have to end our fighting sooner or later. Plus, both of us knew that we had no real reason to fight. I figured that us getting along would throw you guys off." He just smirked a little, surprisingly because I don't think I've ever seen Chichiri smirk, and nodded. 'He must know something I don't! I wanna know!'  
  
"I think Tasuki really cares about you. He was pretty worried about you, you know," he said quietly. I could tell he was watching me for a reaction. 'Oh, he'll get a reaction all right.'  
  
I laughed a quiet laugh. He surprised me with that one. "You know, Chichiri, this is almost amusing. I keep hearing all this crap about Tasuki being worried about me from everyone but him. I am truly sorry to say this Chichiri, but you disappoint me. You and Mitsukake were the two people I thought I could trust to not say something like that and what do you go and do? Say what everyone else is saying. I have to go now, this conversation has lost my interest." I turned around and walked away. Shiriko paused for a second before following me to snarl at Chichiri. I was hurt by his betrayal and this made me vulnerable. I do not like being vulnerable. 'It serves you right for thinking that you could actually trust someone. All people ever do is let you do, time after time,' a voice whispered into my mind. I was getting so sick of these voices.  
  
When I got to the opposite end of the boat, I collapsed into a crumpled heap. Shiriko sat down next to me, nudging my arm and licking my face. "Oh, Shiriko! I'm just glad that you're here with me. I know that you'll never betray me, will you?" He barked. "That's my boy. I don't even know why this bothers me so much. I should have known better." I pet him and sat thinking. 'I've been here six days already. Tomorrow would be my birthday if everyday here was one day back home. Maybe I can have a little celebration. By myself. . .'  
  
I felt a hand on my shoulder. "Go away," I ordered angrily. I didn't know who it was but I didn't care either. The hand didn't move. "I said GO AWAY!!!" I repeated whirling around to see who it was I was yelling at. My glare rested on Tasuki. It softened, but not by much. His hand still didn't move. "Look, I appreciate the effort or whatever but I really want don't want to talk to anyone right now. Just leave me alone." I moved back to my original position and stared at the wall, hoping he'd just go away.  
  
"I'll leave once you tell me what's wrong." He sat down next to me. I slid away from him. Shiriko stared at him cautiously; almost a "hurt her and she won't be the only one in pain" look.  
  
"Nothing. I just want to be alone," I lied, still mad but trying to hide the anger in my voice.  
  
"Bull shit. You're not acting like yourself. Something's up."  
  
That was the last straw. Like I said, I was vulnerable and angry because of it. I needed to vent. "How the hell would you know when or when not I'm acting like myself? You don't know me! You don't know anything about me!" I yelled. "Why do you care so much anyway?"  
  
"I don't care. I was just-" he started, yelling back, but I interrupted him.  
  
"Then drop it." I got up and left. Shiriko growled a threat at him and then followed.  
  
"You're so impossible!" I heard him yell after me. 'Damn straight,' the angry side of my mind thought.  
  
I didn't know why I got so angry. I felt a little bad for yelling at Tasuki like that. But he shouldn't have told me that I wasn't acting like myself. I hate it when people tell me how I'm feeling or when I'm not acting like myself. Then he wouldn't even drop it! I guess all that combined with my disappointment in Chichiri caused me to explode at him. 'I don't even know why I care that Chichiri let me down or that I exploded at Tasuki. No let down is going to be as big as the one they get once they find out that I'm "working" for Nakago. I'll get my explosion then.'  
  
I didn't have much time to ponder this because we arrived in Hokkan. On our journey to where ever we were staying the night, I kept to the back of the group. I wanted to stay away from everyone, especially Tasuki. I decided not to get involved in what they were doing and to stop treating them like friends: it will hurt too much at the end. 'I'll just keep to myself and treat them like they were nothing more than acquaintances. Then it won't hurt anyone once I'm discovered.' I managed to find a good part to the fight with Tasuki as well. 'After all, if he does "care" about me, after a few more of those maybe his feelings will die down and he can find someone worthy of him. I'm sure as hell not.'  
  
We didn't end up staying at an inn, I guess. We ended up at some house staying with a family Tamahome helped out. 'He's always helping people.' I had to share a room with Miaka and Nuriko this time. "I guess they wanted to put all us 'girls' together," Nuriko had said as we put our stuff down. I laughed weakly and continued petting Shiriko and keeping to myself.  
  
"Let's go eat dinner. We can talk about what to do next in the morning. You coming, Yume?" Miaka asked. I shook my head no. I had no appetite; not for food and not for the socializing that comes with dinner. "Well, ok then. I'll bring you up some." I just smiled at her.  
  
As they were leaving, I heard Nuriko say, "She isn't acting like herself. Tasuki seemed pissed, too."  
  
"Yea maybe they had a fight. We should ask about it at dinner," I heard Miaka reply.  
  
'They can ask Tasuki all they want. They're not going to hear much from me.' I decided to use this opportunity to let Nakago know that we arrived. That conversation was a quick one. The funny thing is he looked a little surprised when I told him we were there. He didn't say anything about attacking the ship. 'Of course he wouldn't mention it. Why would he want me to know that he was behind it?'  
  
We, well, they, decided to leave for a place called Tolan in the morning. No one bothered me for the rest of the night. I went to bed before Miaka and Nuriko came back from dinner. This little boy that Tamahome was helping told Tasuki that he was scary. I couldn't help but laugh at that comment. The kid hugged me before we left. I didn't know why but he was a sweet kid.  
  
'Happy Birthday to me.'  
Author's Note:  
  
Smack: Yea. . .that was a pretty weird chapter. Yume and her mood swings. Add that to the voices in her head and you get a pretty insane character.  
  
Kim: Smack, you're mean.  
  
Smack: ::looks shocked:: Me? I am not mean!  
  
Kim: Oh yes you are. How can you put Yume through all that?  
  
Smack: I didn't put her through anything! She brought it all on herself!  
  
Kim: No she didn't.  
  
Smack: Shut up and go back to your world. I want a new muse!  
  
Kim: Here's the quote people:  
  
"You comfy there Yume?" Tamahome joked.  
  
"No, not really. I'm cold, uncomfortable and I think my ass is numb. Thanks for asking, though," I answered.  
  
Kim: That's it. I have to go now before Smack kills me. Bye people!  
  
Smack: Yea, you better leave. Bye everyone! 


	18. Let the Search Commence!

Disclaimer: See chapters one through nine, please.  
  
Thanks to. . .  
  
Otaku Pitcher: I know. Yume is just under a lot of stress. I didn't think it was too rushed but I didn't want to go into much detail while Yume is moody. Because she is moody, she doesn't pay as close attention to what is going on, which is why it may have appeared rushed. Something might happen with Yume's birthday but I don't think it's what you're thinking of. Hehe. Evil Smack.  
  
RyogazGal: Uhh. . .that's ok. I don't expect you to revolve your world around my story. I'm glad it's still one of your favorites.  
  
Cortney: She does doesn't she? Literally in a couple of chapters. Anyway, I'm glad you like my story.  
  
mini: No. No you cannot be my new muse! You'd be worse than Kimkim! And you got the chapters confused. It's 19 that you were thinking of, not 18. Dummy.  
  
Author's Note: Whoa. Long period of absence of updates! Sorry. ^_^; I've had this chapter typed up for quite a long time, too. I did a lot of typing, (I have up to 23 done! Wahoo! Go me!), but I didn't feel like actually putting up. What? Can't I be lazy? Anyway, I had to rewrite most of those chapters from scratch because I didn't like the way they turned out so it's not like I wasn't working hard for you. Oh yea, those of you who I made characters for, (Otaku Pitcher, mini, Renee, and RyogazGal), you're characters should be showing up in a couple chapters, #23 actually. That's enough from me. Enjoy the chapter. It all changes very soon. ::smirks omnisciently::  
  
'. . .' Are thoughts that occur inside of the mind of Yume.  
  
Chapter 18: Let the Search Commence!  
  
We were riding horseback to that Tolan place. I had to share a horse with Nuriko, (either because I was a girl and automatically couldn't ride a horse or because they didn't have enough horses for everyone, I didn't know which), although I didn't mind all that much. What I did mind, sort of, was that poor Shiriko had to run the entire time. He didn't seem to care, though. 'He always did like the snow,' I thought as I watched him frolic happily in the white powder that covered every inch of the ground. I shivered and pulled the cloak Nuriko gave me tighter around my body. It was big on me so it was more of a blanket than a cloak but it was still very warm.  
  
I rested my head on Nuriko's back (there wasn't many other places to put it) and began to think. 'Some birthday I'm having this year. I'm stuck riding a horse to who knows where in like -4 degree weather and I think my ass is growing numb,' I complained to myself. I heard a horse pull up next to ours. I looked over and found Miaka and Tamahome watching me. "What?" I asked them in a lazy tone.  
  
"You comfy there Yume?" Tamahome joked.  
  
I wasn't in the mood for his joking at the moment. "No, not really. I'm cold, uncomfortable, and I think my ass is numb. Thanks for asking though," I answered with fake sincerity. I returned to my original position but looked the other way. "This is no way to spend a birthday," I mumbled under my breath. I didn't think anyone would hear me but I forgot that I was like inches away from Nuriko's ear.  
  
"It's your birthday?" he asked loudly and in disbelief. The rest of the group turned around.  
  
"Whose birthday?" they asked.  
  
"I guess its Yume's," Nuriko told them. 'Damn big mouth! I hate it when everyone knows that it's my birthday.'  
  
"Really? How come you never told us?" the group questioned.  
  
'Oh no. No more group questions and answers.' "Because I'm not sure if it is really my birthday. It would be if every day here equaled one day back home. I've been here seven days and when I left home, my birthday was in seven days so I was guessing that today would be my birthday if I was still at home," I explained. "It's probably not really my birthday so just forget that I even mentioned it. I don't want you to make a big deal about it."  
  
"Us? Make a big deal about a birthday?" Miaka responded in a tone of fake innocence. "We'd never do anything of the sort!"  
  
"Good. Birthdays are stupid and pointless," I stated in an irritated voice.  
  
The group rode off after that. 'Probably to come up with a way to make my life even more miserable,' I thought with disgust. They left me alone for the most part but every so often they glanced back at me and would giggle stupidly. The only two people not involved in this little activity was Nuriko (who was too close to me to be involved) and Tasuki who probably didn't care or was mad at me for some reason. I didn't know or care which. 'I will get my revenge.' I began to plot a perfectly unbeatable plan to counter theirs. Unfortunately, I couldn't think of anything so I spent the rest of the trip trying to come up with one to rival whatever scheme their twisted minds could possibly develop.  
  
When we finally got to Tolan, the group decided that we should pair off in search of information about the Shinzaho. Well, that was the plan originally but after Chiriko and Mitsukake left, no one knew who to team up with. Tamahome wanted to go with Miaka and Nuriko wanted to go with them. Chichiri said he wouldn't mind working with Tasuki and Tasuki felt the same. I didn't want to go with them (for somewhat obvious reasons: I hold grudges and wasn't speaking to them), but kept it to myself. I acted like it didn't matter whom I was teamed up with, even though I would have preferred to be with Nuriko. "All right then, it's settled. Miaka, you come with Nuriko and me. Yume, you go with Tasuki and Chichiri. The girls should have our protection," Tamahome declared.  
  
"How many times do I have to tell you? I DON'T NEED YOUR PROTECTION! I've got Shiriko and I can take care of myself," I told them angrily. I did not want to be stuck with Tasuki and Chichiri and I was still mad about the whole birthday thing and my lack of ability to come up with a plan. Even though that had nothing to do with him.  
  
Both Chichiri and Tasuki looked like they were going to respond but Nuriko did instead. "It's nothing against you, Yume. It was more for Miaka and me." I looked at him and noticed something different. 'His braid. . .it's gone. How'd that happen?' "But I'm going back to wearing guy's clothes now so they just have to worry about Miaka. We know you can take care of yourself. That's why we're leaving you with Chichiri and Tasuki. You know how unhelpful those two are."  
  
I cracked a small grin. Sometimes, Nuriko just knows the right thing to say. "Fine. Let's just get going. Come on, Shiriko." Shiriko was panting heavily, probably from having to run the whole time before so I picked up some snow and held it in my hand for him to "drink." I looked around while I was holding the snow and dropped it. There was that mountain again, towering over everything, taunting me. Another immense feeling of foreboding took hold of me and I stood there, looking at it, feeling the fear take hold of me once more. I looked towards Nuriko. For some reason, I felt my feeling had to do with him. I walked back towards him and hugged him, although I wasn't sure why. "Bye Nuriko. Please be careful," I said.  
  
He looked down at me curiously. "I will. Don't worry, though. I'll be fine," he replied. I heard Tasuki make a sound of disgust. The others just stared at me in disbelief.  
  
I let go of him and walked back towards Shiriko, the bad feeling still present in my heart. "What brought that on?" Tasuki asked. If I didn't know better, I'd swear I heard a hint of jealousy in his voice. That would be if I didn't know better. Wait, I don't.  
  
"Nothing. . .I. . .I just wanted to say good bye," I lied.  
  
"We should get started then. Yume? Could you hold the flares Chiriko gave us in your bag? No one else has anywhere to put them, you know," Chichiri interrupted before Tasuki could comment on my response.  
  
I took the flares from him and put them in an empty pocket in my bag. "Where are we going to start?" I asked. They didn't bother to answer and started walking away from the mountain. 'Now, this is going to be fun. . .' I thought grimly as I followed them with Shiriko.  
  
After about an hour of silence, filled by walking on the snow-covered ground, my shoes were completely soaked. My feet were so numb from the cold that they hurt and I was freezing. "Can we stop somewhere and get something to eat?" I asked them.  
  
They stopped and looked at me, almost like they forgot I was there. "I guess we could all use something to eat, you know," Chichiri replied. Tasuki grunted something that I couldn't decipher and we continued on.  
  
(A/N: I'm going to be skipping around time wise in this chapter. Just thought I'd let you guys know.)  
  
We went to some restaurant type place. I wasn't sure what to order so I got some things that I thought were rice cakes. Tasuki and Chichiri talked quietly to each other but basically ignored me. I couldn't take much more of this whole "silent treatment" especially because I didn't even know why I was getting it. I wasn't two after all. Yet silent treatment still managed to piss me off. 'I shouldn't really care, right? I did want to keep some distance between them and me. This is just helping me do that. But it's really getting on my nerves!' They continued their little game for another ten minutes and I couldn't take it anymore. "Ok, I'm getting really sick of this! Why are you two ignoring me?" I exclaimed, angrily. "You can't be that mad about me hugging Nuriko, can you?"  
  
"Actually, we can and it seemed like you didn't even want to come with us in the first place so we were just acting like you weren't here," Tasuki answered as though it was the simplest thing in the world. Maybe it was but it still hurt.  
  
"You're right, for once! I didn't want to come with you guys because I knew something like this would happen!" I yelled, getting up. "The real reason I hugged Nuriko was because I had a really bad feeling that something was going to happen and I think it's going to happen to him!" I was really starting to get angry now. "And you can forget about pretending that I'm not here because I'm going to save you some trouble by not being here for real!" I left the table and stormed out of the restaurant, Shiriko right behind me. "Birthdays suck," I said, trying to hold back the tears I knew were forming in my eyes. 'I've gotten so weak since I came here. All I've done is cry. I need to regain my strength.'  
  
I found a box outside the building and sat on it. I realized quickly that there weren't all that many places I could go. I was stuck with them, although I didn't want to admit it. Shiriko put his head on my lap and looked up at me. I pet him lightly. He was the only good thing about today. If I didn't have him, there would be nothing to stop me from going completely insane or at least running off by myself to who knows where. I heard the crunch of footsteps on the snow behind me. I turned and saw Chichiri approaching my box. "What do you want?" I asked, trying to hide any emotion other than annoyance.  
  
"To apologize. I know you don't want to hear this from me but Tasuki was just a little jealous, that's why he said all that stuff, you know," he answered.  
  
"It doesn't matter. I still want to leave," I said, trying to act like I was shrugging it off.  
  
"What did you mean when you said that stuff about having a bad feeling about Nuriko?" 'Uh oh. . .how am I going to get out of this one? I open my big mouth way too much.'  
  
"It doesn't matter, really. It was just a feeling. I doubt you even believe me. Let's just go look for the Shinzaho," I replied, getting up.  
  
"I do believe you but if you want, I'll drop it, you know," he answered back. For some strange reason, I believed him.  
  
"Good, now then let's go," I practically ordered. He shook his head and sighed in defeat. 'He may have liked to pursue that issue but I can't allow that to be done. It could lead him to wanting to know more about me and me telling him more than he needs to know.'  
  
So the four of us resumed our search for the Shinzaho. It was rather pointless; I had a feeling that we weren't looking in the right spot but didn't say anything. 'Let them continue their search for their needle in the haystack. I'll just sit back and enjoy the show. Besides, if I'm right and we go up the mountain, we could be the ones who end up dead.' We didn't find out much except that a stone pillar in the middle of town may mention it. The person we were talking to couldn't remember whether or not it did. We went to an inn place when it started to get dark to see if they had any rooms. "We have one room sir. Is that going to be a problem?" the innkeeper told Chichiri with a sick grin.  
  
'Perverts. The world is full of perverts.' Tasuki and Chichiri said it was fine but the guy turned to me. "I figured they would say it was fine but are you sure it's ok miss? I can look for another room for you."  
  
"No, it's fine. If either one of them tries anything, my protector will make sure they won't be able to touch anything ever again," I replied firmly. Shiriko stepped in front of me and smiled, showing off his sharp white teeth. I pet his head lovingly.  
  
"Ok then. Follow me." He led us upstairs and into a fairly decent room. "Here you go. You two gentlemen may want to give the young lady a minute to get changed." They waited outside the room while I "slipped into something a little more comfortable." Or maybe just my pajamas and sweatshirt.  
  
I let them back in and took the "mat" closest to the door. I had my back to them as well. I felt Tasuki's presence lie down on the next mat over. Shiriko was on my other side, keeping me warm. I felt kind of safe and happy knowing the two of them were so close by. I didn't know why, but I felt safe with Tasuki. I had even managed to almost completely forget about my feeling of foreboding as I drifted off to a (hopefully) peaceful slumber. . .  
Author's Note:  
  
Smack: ::looks nervous:: I hope this chapter was good because after the next few, I have a feeling you're going to end up hating me.  
  
Kim: Oh, poor naive, Smack. They already hate you.  
  
Smack: ::covers ears and rocks back and forth:: No! No! It's not true! Not true I tell you! They don't hate me.  
  
Kim: ::grins meanly:: Whatever. I'll just give them a little quote to help them understand the next chapter.  
  
'It's like I'm not even here! What the hell is going on? Am I dead or something? Why am I here if I can't even do anything?'  
  
Kim: I think you get the picture. I'm done now. Until the next chapter!  
  
Smack: ::muttering:: I so need a new muse. 


	19. Double Failure

Disclaimer: See chapters one through nine, please.  
  
Thanks to. . .  
  
Otaku Pitcher: Umm. . .uhh. . .I can make no promises. I can also make no promises about Yume and Tasuki. I'm glad that you are enjoying the quality of my writing. I always appreciate your comments.  
  
Dragonrider: Ahh! Make it go away! Seriously though, you surprised me! I didn't know it was you two and got all shocked and upset. Try chapter 15 again because no one else has had any problems. . .  
  
miLady: Hey, I understand about hectic lives. Believe me. I understand better than you will ever know. Yea, she is getting along pretty good. I knew her "I don't give a sh*t" attitude would win them over. ::beams at said character:: Don't criticize her now. Just wait until the next one. . . (Kim: Shut up Smack! Oh my God! You're so stupid!!!) (Smack: Shut up Kim!)  
  
Author's Note: I wanted to get this up before my birthday (which is why it was updated in less than two weeks, go Smack!) because I'm going to be real busy that week. So, on the off chance you want to make Smack the happiest author possible, don't yell at her about this (or the next few) chapters. Keep in mind that her birthday is coming up and she wants to enjoy it by not having her life being threatened. (It's on the 26th! Yup, the same day as Yume's! I wonder how that happened. . .) Anyway, what I'm trying to say is, give me a chance. I have a reason for everything I do (well, most of the time). And, this is the first chapter in a series of chapters that change everything. WHICH MEANS IT IS IMPPRTANT SO READ IT!!! Ok. I'm done now.  
  
'. . .' are thoughts inside Yume's head  
  
Chapter 19: Double Failure  
  
I was floating again: floating down but still floating. I looked below me to see where I'd end up landing. 'Hmm. . .I'm in control of what I do. Wait a sec! I'm thinking and I can control what I think! Maybe I can make a difference in this dream!' I watched as I neared what seemed to be close to the top of a snow-covered mountain. Two dots were on the mountain, moving around. As I got closer, I realized one dot was Nuriko and the other was a wolf man thing and as I landed, I noticed they were fighting. Both were pretty beat up. 'I have to help Nuriko!'  
  
I ran in front of the wolf man as he charged at Nuriko and attempted to spook him. He ran through me and still hit Nuriko. I tried to kick him but I passed right through him. Neither him nor Nuriko noticed me. I decided to try and divert their attention. "Hey wolf man! Is it visiting hour at the zoo already?" I yelled. Nothing. 'All I can do is sit here while Nuriko is being killed? Where's everyone else? Why can't I do ANYTHING?!?' A feeling of hopelessness washed over me as I saw Nuriko being slammed to the ground. 'I have to do something, anything, to help him!' It was then that I realized I wasn't even leaving footprints in the snow. 'It's like I'm not even here! What the hell is going on? Am I dead or something? Why am I here if I can't do anything?'  
  
It seemed like Nuriko was starting to make a comeback but he was seriously wounded. 'He's gonna die unless Mitsukake can get here in time. Why can't I do anything? Am I really this helpless?' I watched as Nuriko put his finishing moves on the wolf guy. He used his last bit of strength to move some big rock. 'A lot of help that is! He should have saved his strength. Then, when Mitsukake gets here. . .' I knew deep down that Mitsukake would never get here in time. "Damn you, Nuriko! Why'd you have to go and play the hero again?" I asked, not even trying to keep my tears from flowing. He collapsed into the snow and I ran to him, even though I knew I couldn't do anything to comfort him. I wouldn't let him die alone.  
  
The world around me began to black out and I was held in suspended animation. "What a weak little girl you are! All you ever do is cry! You can't even save your friend." The voice seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere at once, taunting me. "Can someone like you ever really amount to anything? I highly doubt it. People like you are so pathetic! You could have saved him but you chose to ignore your feelings and keep them to yourself. If you told someone, perhaps they would have been there to help him but you couldn't take the risk that you would be exposed as the fake you really are!" it boomed.  
  
"It's true. I am weak. I should have been able to save him but it's not over yet. I'm not the one hiding in the shadows taunting some girl in her dreams!" I responded.  
  
"I'm not hiding. You are just not worthy of my true presence," it defended.  
  
"So that's what they call it nowadays. No matter what, it is still hiding in my book," I replied.  
  
"I don't have to listen to you. I have no use for someone as weak as you. Leave my world. I doubt that you really are the-"  
  
I woke up before I could hear the last word but that wasn't what mattered. I felt like the most worthless person in the world. 'I'm even taunted in my dreams. I could have saved him. . .' I started to cry but remained quiet so I wouldn't wake Chichiri or Tasuki. They were sleeping peacefully, like nothing in the world could possibly bother them. Shiriko stirred and looked up at me. "Maybe it's not too late. My dream hasn't happened yet. There's got to be some way to save him, right? Perhaps I can catch up with him," I said.  
  
I went to my bag and got dressed in the clothes Miaka gave me. As I pulled on Nuriko's cloak, I heard a body stir next to me. I froze: maybe whoever it was would go back to sleep. "Don't worry. . .I'll always be here to protect you. . ." I heard Tasuki's sleepy voice mumble. "It's my job. . ." 'Dreaming about Miaka, are we? I should have known that he liked her. I'm sure he'll make someone very happy one day,' I thought. 'He could make you happy,' another "new" voice in my head said. 'What? A new voice to taunt me? My head is going to be full soon. Besides, he could never make me happy. I'm weak and I've been lying to him this entire time.' With that, I got up to get some paper to write a note but felt a hand on my shoulder. "Don't leave," Tasuki said. 'He must still be asleep.' I placed the hand down next to him lightly.  
  
I grabbed a sheet of paper and wrote a note saying that I went to the mountain. Then I remembered that they could read it. 'Maybe they'll go looking for Miaka and find Nuriko.' It was based on chance, but I tried. I drew a picture of the mountain below the words. It was bad but I think they'll understand. I left it on my pillow, grabbed my bag, and headed for the door. "Where are you going so early in the morning?" 'Busted. . .'  
  
"Shiriko needs to go on his early morning walk," I answered. 'Ok, Chichiri. Go back to sleep.'  
  
"All right then. Be back soon. I don't want you wandering around by yourself, you know," came the sleepy response. I left the room and breathed a sigh of relief. 'Home free!'  
  
I was guessing that it was around eight or so in the morning. I was cold and tired but the sense of urgency overtook my other feelings. The village was quite a large distance from the mountain. 'I may not get there in time,' I thought. I had been hiking for about two hours and had almost reached the base of the mountain. I noticed a set of footprints heading up the mountain. 'They're fresh. . .someone's already been here! I have to hurry!'  
  
My goal revitalized, I speeded up the summit. Shiriko led, seemingly on the trail of something. I didn't mind: he plowed a path for me and showed me the safe spots to walk. I knew better than to run up a mountain but I couldn't afford to take my time. Shiriko was driven on, following a scent up the mountain. I heard a cry of pain. 'It sounds like a wounded animal. They're already fighting!' I started to run. Shiriko sped up too.  
  
I reached the battle scene only to find Nuriko being held in the air by the wolf man. "Let him go!" I yelled on impulse. The monster looked at me and dropped Nuriko.  
  
"Yume! What are you doing here? You're going to get yourself killed!" Nuriko screamed.  
  
I had no time to respond because the enemy moved towards me: and fast. Shiriko put himself in front of me and began to growl. He showed his teeth and his hair stood up. The wolf man stopped and looked at Shiriko curiously but Shiriko didn't stop growling. Nuriko limped towards the man but he didn't notice him. He was too busy eying Shiriko. Nuriko snuck up behind him and grabbed him by the neck. The man attempted to attack Nuriko but Shiriko lunged at his arm and bit down hard. I tackled his other arm, punching and kicking it. He slashed my arm with his claws right through my cloak, ripping the flesh and cutting me deep but I still kept at it. He thrashed the arm Shiriko was on but all that succeeded in doing was causing him to bite down harder. The man gave a final yelp of pain before collapsing down onto the snow. "Is he dead?" I asked.  
  
"I think so," Nuriko answered. I kicked the body to make sure. It didn't move so I assumed he was dead. Nuriko fell to the ground.  
  
"Oh my God! Nuriko? Are you ok?" I ran over to him. A couple of the flesh wounds were missing but the major damage was still there. I really didn't change anything by coming here. 'There must be a way that I can get the others attention,' I thought with despair. 'The flares!' I ran to my bag and pulled out the two flares Chichiri gave me. "Hang on, Nuriko! Help will be here soon." I wasn't sure how to use them but I pulled this thing at the bottom and it flew up into the sky and exploded. I did the same thing to the second. "They'll be here in no time. Just hang in there, ok?"  
  
"Thanks a lot Yume. But could you help me up? I have to move that boulder. The Shinzaho is in there, I'm sure of it," Nuriko asked, trying to get up and hobble towards the rock.  
  
"They'll be plenty of time to move that rock later. Right now you need to save your strength so Mitsukake can heal you when he gets here," I pleaded.  
  
He just smiled a small, weak smile. "I appreciate your optimism but you and I both know that there's no way he'll get here in time. I don't even know how you knew that I was here. It must have been dumb luck or something. Now help me up or I'll do it myself." I fell silent and helped him up. He was right and I knew it. He easily moved the rock and I made him sit down to conserve the small amount of strength he had left. "How did you know I was here, anyway?" he asked.  
  
"I had a feeling which was only intensified once I had this dream. In the dream, I couldn't save you either. Maybe the voice was right. I really am worthless," I answered.  
  
"Don't be so hard on yourself. You risked your life for me. But I need you to do one more thing for me, though. The whole time that you've been in this world, you've always seemed so miserable. Find yourself some happiness or at least allow yourself to be happy. Just do that for me, ok?"  
  
"Oh, stop talking. You need to save your energy and you're not making any sense." 'And I'm about to cry. . .'  
  
"I am making sense! Promise me that you'll allow yourself to be happy!"  
  
"Fine. I'll try and find myself some happiness. Now shut up so when they get here you'll still be alive." My arm hurt like a bitch but I was more worried about Nuriko. 'He's the one who could die, after all.'  
  
So we sat in the snow awaiting help. Nuriko had his head on my lap and Shiriko was sitting solemnly next to him. At one point, Shiriko even licked Nuriko. He understood what was going on. I tried to wrap up some of Nuriko's wounds with parts of my cloak to stop the bleeding but I knew it wouldn't do much. Unless Mitsukake got here soon he was as good as dead. We remained like that for about ten minutes. "Nuriko? Yume? Are you guys up here?" I heard Chichiri call.  
  
"Oh my gods! Suzaku what happened here?" Tamahome exclaimed as he arrived on the scene.  
  
"Is Mitsukake here? We could really use his help," I asked urgently. Tasuki rushed forward.  
  
"What happened to you two?" he questioned, looking at my blood stained clothes, slashed arm and Nuriko in general.  
  
"Is Mitsukake with you?" I repeated.  
  
"Not yet but he'll be here soon. Don't worry," Tamahome answered.  
  
"Miaka. . ." Nuriko struggled to speak. She walked over.  
  
"You shouldn't talk. Save your energy," she instructed.  
  
"Don't lose. . ." I felt something leave his body.  
  
"Nuriko?" Miaka said, uncertainty present in her voice.  
  
"Miaka, I. . .I think he's dead," I told her, holding back tears. I laid his body on the ground gently and got up. Miaka looked crushed and ran off somewhere. Tamahome followed.  
  
"Why didn't you save him? You were here! You could have saved him! Why didn't you?" Tasuki yelled. 'Just like in my dream.' I couldn't stop the tears anymore. They flowed freely down my face. I turned away from the group in an attempt to keep them from seeing me cry.  
  
"I think she tried, Tasuki. There wasn't much she could do, you know," Chichiri answered for me. I walked towards the rock Nuriko had used his last bit of strength to move and punched it. I kept hitting it with my good arm until it hurt. I knew that wouldn't make the pain in my soul go away but it felt good at the moment.  
  
"Yume, you really shouldn't push your arm like that," I heard Mitsukake instruct me. "Let me heal you."  
  
"Heal Nuriko."  
  
"I can't Yume. It's too late," he answered sadly.  
  
"Then leave me alone." He didn't like that answer.  
  
"I know what you're going through. Death is a hard thing to deal with at any age. But Nuriko wouldn't want you to end up dead because of him."  
  
"You don't have a clue about what I'm going through so don't say you do! Did you know that this was going to happen before it did and still not be able to do anything about it? Did you have to watch him die twice?" I snapped, too pissed at myself to even attempt to control what I was saying. I knew Mitsukake didn't have anything to do with it but I still had to yell at someone and he was there. "Just leave me alone for now, ok?"  
  
He didn't say anything but grabbed my arm and held his palm at me. A light formed from it and my arm was healed. I released myself from his grip and walked towards the regrouped group. "The Shinzaho is in there. If you don't mind, I'd like to wait out here while you go retrieve it."  
  
"Thanks Yume. You risked your life to save him, didn't you?" Tamahome asked, speaking for the group.  
  
"Yea, but I didn't and he's still dead. Almost doesn't count this time, now does it? Just go get the Shinzaho and leave me the fuck alone."  
Author's Note:  
  
Smack: ::peers out from behind Kim:: Umm. . .hi.  
  
Kim: You are such a baby!  
  
Smack: Ok, before you go on and hate me, let me defend myself. First of all, it's my story so I can do whatever I want. :P But seriously, I had to do that. It's a very important event. And lastly, if it helps you to not hate me, nothing in this story is ever final, not even death.  
  
Kim: Yea, say what you want. They'll still hate you. Especially after they read the next chapter.  
  
Smack: Oh shut up! Anyway, I hope that wasn't too depressing. It was definitely the longest chapter, so far. But I can't say it's going to be the saddest. Sorry. I'm just going to give you the quote now. . .  
  
"Damn it, Yume! Why can't you ever let anyone get close to you?"  
  
'I did and he's dead. Put two and two together, dumb ass.'  
  
Smack: That's it. Oh, just so you know, Yume is going to be a little out of control in the next few chapters. But that's understandable seeing how she's under extreme emotional, physical, and mental stress. 'Til next time! (Please don't hate me!) 


	20. Conflicting Emotions

Disclaimer: I don't own Fushigi Yuugi. If I did. . .well. . .let's just leave it at that.  
  
Thanks to. . .  
  
miLady: You know, you're the only person who wished me a happy birthday. This chapter is up so soon for you because it made me happy that someone actually pays attention to my author's notes. I'm glad Yume has been redeemed. You would think that Nuriko could have been saved but you know. . .like I said, nothing is ever truly final.  
  
Otaku Pitcher: It's lacking explanation because Yume doesn't communicate her feelings. It's part of her personality therefore I can't change it. She doesn't explain her actions always, because sometimes there is no explanation. I hope you understand. The author's note gives a little insight but that's all I can do. I've read fics where Nuriko is saved by some crazy miracle and I agree: it just doesn't seem right.  
  
Songwind: I'm glad you agree that Nuriko's death was important (it pretty much changes everything in the story because of the way Yume reacts). And I did continue soon so I hope you're happy.  
  
Cortney: Kim is annoying isn't she? I wouldn't even include her but I told the real Kim that she could be in my story. I think I'm going to fire her. She's mean and I gave her a small part. My obligation is fulfilled. I'm glad you don't hate me. And I'll see what I can do about reading your story whenever you post it.  
  
Author's Note: Hey, you guys made me so happy with the tremendous response that I got from the last chapter that I decided to put this one up really fast for you. But I did it mostly for miLady because she wished me a happy birthday. ( Umm. . .I would like to take this time to warn you that this chapter has an increased amount of swearing in it. (Bad Yume!) Being angry and blaming herself is how she deals with loss and pain, which is not the best way to deal with your problems. So she is pretty much pissed at the world and out of control in this and the next few chapters (which isn't exactly stated in the actual chapter). Well, there's your warning and here's the chapter.  
  
'. . .' are dialogue which is inside Yume's head.  
  
Chapter 20: Conflicting Emotions  
  
I sat outside the cave, looking at the trampled, bloodstained ground. They left me to look for the Shinzaho with little objection. 'Maybe they actually understand that I want to be alone, for once,' I thought irritated by the whole ordeal. 'It serves you right for getting attached. You should know better than that by now,' one of the voices that inhabit my head scolded. 'Maybe I should have gone with them. It probably would have been better than sitting out here hearing voices and feeling sorry for myself.' I looked over towards where the body of our enemy, Ashitare, was. It was gone. 'What the-?' I thought. 'Does that mean he's still alive?' I didn't think much of it. If he were still alive, he would probably go after me so I would know by now.  
  
After about a half hour of waiting, they emerged with the relic but they didn't look too happy. "We need another one," Miaka called to me. "It's pretty though, isn't it?" She held it up and out of the corner of my eye I saw a flash of gray. Before anyone could react, a wolf appeared and snatched the Shinzaho from Miaka and ran off. Shiriko immediately took after it.  
  
"No! Shiriko!" I ran after my pet but I knew I was no match for their speed and endurance. I felt someone pick me up and carry me towards where they disappeared from my view, completely baffled. I was moving faster than I thought was humanly possible. "What the fuck?"  
  
"It's ok, Yume. It's just me. You'd never have caught up with him like that," Tasuki's voice responded. "There he is. If I cut him off, will he attack?"  
  
"Probably but he'll more than likely just go around you," I answered. I didn't like this one bit. "Shiriko!" I began to hum a song quietly.  
  
"What are you doing?" Tasuki asked, oblivious to my reasoning as usual.  
  
"Be quiet and put me down! I have an idea." He put me down and shut up. I resumed singing my quiet melody. I heard Shiriko howl in the distance and continued my song. It was working. A few minutes later, Shiriko emerged from the forest full speed and stopped right in front of me, sitting at my feet. "Good boy." I rubbed his head affectionately.  
  
"What was that?" Tasuki asked, eying me curiously.  
  
"I trained him to come to that song." I walked back towards the group. "Oh, and don't do that again, Tasuki."  
  
"I just wanted to help," he replied defensively.  
  
"I don't need help." 'Or deserve it.' "I'm going back to the inn because I need to change clothes."  
  
"You might not want to go there dressed like that," Tamahome warned.  
  
I looked down at my ripped cloak and bloodstained clothes. "Fine." I walked into the forest, carrying my bag. I changed into one of the dresses I got from the palace. I didn't have much choice. With my cloak pretty much destroyed, I couldn't go back to wearing my normal clothes. I had to dress like the people from this world again. I didn't know what to do with the blood-covered garments so I carried them back to the group.  
  
"You can just leave them here, I guess," Miaka told me.  
  
I dropped them on the ground and returned to Shiriko. "Why don't we stop and get something to eat for lunch before heading for Sairou?" Chichiri suggested. No one but me had any objections but I kept mine to myself anyway and we went back to town.  
  
The group pretty much stayed away from me on our trip to the inn. I couldn't tell whether they did that because they blamed me for Nuriko's death or because they pitied me but wanted to keep away in case I had another outburst. I really didn't care either way. I knew I was responsible for his death and that was enough for me. Once we got to the restaurant, I ordered a glass of that saké stuff Tasuki was always drinking and sat by myself. 'No more getting close to them. Even if it wasn't my fault that I didn't get there in time, Nakago probably sent the wolf man because of my reports so it is still my fault.'  
  
I took a sip of the saké. It was pretty strong stuff compared to what I was used to (my parents give me some liquor now and then). It didn't matter much to me though because the stronger it was, the sooner it would take effect. Tasuki came over and took my glass. "You're too young to be drinking this," he said. Well that was just not fair. I hadn't even gotten intoxicated yet!  
  
"Fuck off. You have no room to talk about the age thing. You're not much older than me. Plus, if you can't tell, I've had a bad day. Why do you care if I get drunk?" I retorted. I reached for the glass. The alcohol hadn't even begun to take its effect on me. It was mine and I wanted it back.  
  
"Come with me outside for a moment. You could use some fresh air," he ordered.  
  
"I could use some saké! Give it back!!!" He grabbed my arm and dragged me outside. The others watched but no one made a move to help me. I didn't expect them to. Shiriko couldn't do anything because the owner had made me tie him up outside. "Let me go!"  
  
"No! You're coming with me!"  
  
"You really suck!"  
  
"I don't care! I'm not going to let you get drunk. That's not what you need right now," he stated.  
  
"You're right. What I need is to get out some anger and you're here so I guess I'll start with you!" I was really upset and confused and all he was at that moment was an obstacle that wouldn't go away.  
  
"Go ahead. If that's what will make you feel better, do it." He stood there, ready to let me beat him senseless. I punched him in the gut but he didn't even try to block or fight back.  
  
"Aren't you even going to defend yourself?" I asked, a little surprised.  
  
He shook his head. "No. If it will make you feel better, I'll let you and I won't try and stop you."  
  
"Why? Why are you doing this? Why do you care so much?"  
  
"I don't like seeing people unhappy. It's not like you to give up on yourself like this."  
  
Normally, that kind of confession would mean something to me. Right now, it sounded like a trick. "What should you care if I'm upset? I'm nothing to you. You don't even know me so how can you know what's like me?"  
  
"I want to get to know you, though. Look, Yume, what I'm trying to say is, I want you to be happy and if you'll give me a shot, I want to try and make you happy." That was not what I was expecting. It threw me off and snapped me back to reality, a reality where I have to let him down. Hard. 'He looks like he really means it but I can't. Here it goes. . .'  
  
I laughed a little. "Weren't you listening? You don't even know me. You can't care about someone you don't know," I replied harshly.  
  
"But I want to get to know you if you'd just let me. Damn it, Yume! Why can't you let anyone get close to you?"  
  
'I did and he's dead. Put two and two together, dumb ass.' "Look, Tasuki. I'm sorry if I mislead you but I have absolutely no feelings for you. I was just messing around. I'm sorry you took it so seriously." He looked really hurt. "Now, I'm going on a walk because I need some time alone. This is too much for me to handle right now. Please don't follow me." I turned my back on him and walked away. That was the hardest performance I've ever had to do in my life. I felt a few tears roll down my cheek. I didn't even bother to stop them.  
  
'I had to do it. What happens when he finds out that I've been spying for Nakago the whole time? Besides, I don't even really care for him so it would be mean anyway. He's too good for me. I'm nothing but a fake and a weak one at that. I'm sure he'll find someone else,' I thought. 'But will you?' my heart asked. 'Ugh! Damn voices! I need to meditate.' As I wandered through the fog-filled forest searching for a remote spot to meditate at, I heard talking. "You mean like controlling him through sex?" a voice that sounded like Miaka's said.  
  
"Exactly," another voice that sounded suspiciously like Taiitsu-kun's answered. I walked towards them and decided to join in the conversation. 'Maybe Taiitsu-kun can help me sort out my problems.'  
  
"Hi Taiitsu-kun. Hi Miaka," I greeted.  
  
"Hi Yume," Miaka replied.  
  
"Who are you?" Taiitsu-kun asked. 'Wait, shouldn't she know?'  
  
"It's Yume. Remember? You said she'd be important and sent her with us," Miaka explained.  
  
"Yea, you should know me. I remember you. You're just as ugly as the last time I met you," I added, testing her response.  
  
"Oh yea. Now, Miaka, by engaging in intercourse you can gain control of Nakago's life force rendering him helpless," Taiitsu-kun explained.  
  
"I thought priestesses had to be virgins," I commented.  
  
"Yui isn't a virgin anymore and they haven't given up yet," Taiitsu-kun replied.  
  
"She's not?!?" I exclaimed in disbelief.  
  
"No, now shut up. This concerns the priestess not some outsider," she ordered. Then, turning to Miaka, she said, "Are you going to do it? It may be the only way to get back the Shinzaho."  
  
"I'll do it," Miaka replied, gravely. "I have to." She looked really sad. 'She probably wanted to save herself for Tamahome. She may still be able to. Something tells me that that isn't the real Taiitsu-kun.'  
  
"Good. Yume? You'll take care of Miaka's whereabouts won't you?"  
  
"Sure." "Taiitsu-kun" disappeared, leaving me with Miaka. "Miaka, don't do it. I think it's a trap."  
  
"I have to and why would Taiitsu-kun try and trick me? She's on our side, remember?" she replied.  
  
"I don't know how to explain it but I don't think that was the real Taiitsu- kun."  
  
"What makes you say that?" she asked.  
  
"She didn't know who I was, what she was saying doesn't even make sense, and she didn't care that I called he ugly." Miaka shook her head.  
  
"But then what are we going to do to get the Shinzaho back? We need it," she asked.  
  
"I'll go instead. You're too important to risk like that. Either way, we'll still end up with control of his life force. It doesn't matter if I'm a virgin or not so we'll still be able to call Suzaku."  
  
"Thanks a lot, Yume. But are you sure?" I nodded. "I'll come up with an alibi for you." She hugged me. "I'm sorry for everything that's happened to you. I know you tried to save Nuriko."  
  
"I don't need your pity. Just tell me where the camp is so I can get this over with."  
  
"Their camp is that way. Please be careful, Yume."  
  
I took off in the direction she pointed. I didn't really want to go to Nakago's camp or try to "control his life force." I was under a lot of stress and there wasn't much else I could do. I wouldn't send Miaka to that fate. No one deserved that, not even her. 'Although I am pretty close to deserving a fate like that.' Plus, I had a few things to say to Mr. Nakago and nothing to lose but my worthless life. But I knew he wouldn't hurt me. I'm too important to him. He wouldn't want to risk his spy. He's stupid but not that stupid.  
Author's Note:  
  
Smack: There ya go. That's probably the worst chapter in the history of this fic but it's needed. Actually, the next few chapters are going to be a lot like that. Minus a few instances where Yume goes insane and her importance to this world is actually revealed to her. . .Oops. . .  
  
Yume: ::perks up:: Wait, what?  
  
Smack: Nothing, no one. Smack knows nothing. ::twiddles thumbs and whistles::  
  
Yume: I know you said something important! What did you say?  
  
Smack: I said it's time for you to give the quote of the next chapter.  
  
Yume: ::muttering:: Liar. . .  
  
'Oh God help me!'  
  
Yume: ::glaring at Smack:: What are you going to put me through next?  
  
Smack: I can't tell you! Until next time. . . 


	21. Off the Edge

Disclaimer: See previous chapter or chapters one through nine. I don't care which. You pick.  
  
Thanks to. . .  
  
Otaku Pitcher: You're welcome. I do try to help you guys out, even if it doesn't seem like it at times. Yea, Fate does seem to deal Tasuki a hard hand often, doesn't it? And I update it as often as I can but Smack does occasionally need a life beyond the computer screen, (or so my mom keeps telling me. . .).  
  
Cortney: I'm glad you feel so strongly about the last chapter! Yume is pretty tough, isn't she? But, like everyone, she has her weaknesses, too, and they become all too apparent to her later in the story.  
  
miLady: You're welcome! And yes, Nakago does make an appearance but not a very nice one. In fact, it's pretty mean. Oh, you don't exactly get to figure something out about Yume but something is revealed, if that makes any sense at all. . .  
  
Songwind: Oh, what will Tasuki do? The age old question that never gets an answer. And as for Nakago. . .let's just say something is revealed about him as well as Yume. . .  
  
Author's Note: Hehe. Here's the next chapter and if you can't tell, something falls off the edge. The edge of what, you ask? Read on and find out. Oh, in this and the next few chapters, the point of view will switch between Tasuki and Yume. I make the view change pretty obvious so you won't get confused. It starts off with Yume in this chapter. Umm. . .read and enjoy?  
  
'. . .' represents the thoughts of the character who is telling the tale.  
  
Chapter 21: Off the Edge. . .  
  
By the time I got to the edge of the Seiryuu camp I was really starting to have second thoughts. I was scared. I didn't actually know all that Nakago was capable of. But I do know what I'm capable of and taking on a deranged lunatic is not in my list of special skills. Basically, I was under- qualified. I saw what he could do when we first met and it scared me then and it scares me now. But I have a plan. Sort of.  
  
I looked around the apparently deserted camp. Light was coming from one tent and only one tent. I took a deep breath. 'Here goes nothing. . .' I thought as I walked through the doorway. "Hi, Nakago. It's been a while," I greeted sweetly.  
  
"Yume? What are you doing here? You have to leave. I'm expecting someone," he replied, somewhat surprised. 'I bet you are.'  
  
"You mean the Priestess? Sorry. She had second thoughts. I'm the replacement." I sat across from him, crossed my legs, and smiled coyly. "Next time, get a more convincing Taiitsu-kun."  
  
"How'd you know?" he asked, looking somewhat impressed.  
  
"Let's just say that I have my ways." I winked at him. 'So far, so good. I'm keeping in character at least. And my mom said those acting classes didn't pay off!'  
  
He looked a little surprised but then the look of surprise turned to a confident smile. 'That's my boy. Take the bait.' "Well, you aren't exactly what I was expecting but I'm not about to complain. Actually, I'd prefer you over that obnoxious priestess if I had to choose. Shall we eat first?" 'Ew. Gross. That was something I really didn't need (or want) to know.' 'Watch out! He wants to rape you in a dark alley!' one of the people in my head said. 'Come on, Yume. Stay in character.'  
  
"No, I already ate. Unless, of course, you're hungry?" I cocked an eyebrow at him. 'Please be hungry. Please be hungry.'  
  
"No, that's quite all right. I ate as well." He got up and so did I. I didn't know where to go from here. That's as far as I had gotten in my little "plan." I assumed the rest would come to me. But it wasn't coming. Not a single idea was forming in my mind as he walked towards me, perfectly confident. I just stood there as he put his arm around me and leaned in for a kiss. I allowed this: I didn't have much of a choice. What was I going to do? Kick him in the crotch? Yea, that'd go over well. I'd be dead in like a second. He wasn't that bad of a kisser but I couldn't go through with the rest. I attempted to slide out of his grasp. "Is there a problem?"  
  
"Yea. I'm having second thoughts. I think I am hungry after all," I lied. I needed some time to think of a plan.  
  
"You should have said something before. It's too late now." He put me back in his grasp but I slid away again.  
  
"Then it's not happening. You can just pretend we did it and go on with your life. I'm leaving," I declared, turning my back on him and hoping he would change his mind.  
  
"No. You came here and I took off my armor. There is no going back now." 'Damn my bad luck!' He moved towards me once again and turned me around to face him. I backed up until I was against the tent wall. "This would be a whole lot better for the both of us if you will just play along." He tried to kiss me again but I pushed him away.  
  
"Get off of me!" I ordered, pushing him. He didn't move. 'Damn Nakago! Why does he have to be so strong?'  
  
"Have it your way then. I thought you were smarter than this but I see I was mistaken. Perhaps I will have no need for your spy services after this. Maybe I'll keep you here." 'Shit.' He pointed his palm at me and I felt this strange tingly sensation. I do not like strange tingly sensations. I tried to move but I couldn't. "This could have been more enjoyable for both of us." He kissed my neck and began to descend down it towards. . .well. . .you know but I couldn't do a thing to stop him. I couldn't move, I couldn't speak, and I couldn't lift a finger against him. I now understood what it meant to be truly helpless. I couldn't do much and was forced to just sit there while he continued his little assault on my body. 'Oh God help me!' my mind screamed.  
  
It was then that I felt my mind slip away and my body grew prickly. I assumed it was from the paralysis. From under my sleeves, the bracelets started to glow. I felt a power surge jolt through my body and watched as Nakago flew off of me and into the wall on the other side of the tent. "How dare you!" my voice roared on its own. I had no idea what was going on as my body and vocal cords acted without my consent. My mind was completely gone and all I felt was a severe hatred. Hatred for this man who had my friend killed and hatred for the man who basically tried to rape me. My body floated towards him and I kicked him in the stomach.  
  
"How'd you break free? There's no way your power is stronger than mine!" he gasped from the floor.  
  
"Wrong, weakling. It can be and it is. You will pay for what you tried to do to me and for what you had done to Nuriko," my voice responded. My hand raised and a yellow light formed from it. The light somehow pinned him up against the wall, just like he did to me. "It's not so much fun when it's being done to you, is it?" I smiled and punched him in the stomach, watching contently as his face contorted with pain. "How does it feel? Sitting there with the knowledge that I could kill you at any time and you wouldn't be able to do anything to stop me? Not a very good feeling, is it?" I backhanded him across the face. "Weakling. You aren't worth my time." I drifted out of the tent, leaving an unconscious Nakago behind.  
  
I wandered back down the path I took to get there trying to figure out what exactly I had been trying to do before. The feeling of genuine hatred hadn't died down yet and my mind was filled with anger. How I hated that Nakago! I came upon a stream and decided to wash the "taste" of Nakago out of my mouth. I saw my reflection and froze. My hair was bright red and I had slivery white highlights. The part that I had dyed red was now also that slivery white color. But that wasn't what shocked me. My eyes were glowing an emerald green tint and I was floating. 'I look evil.' I felt my mind come back into my head and I fell back to the ground. "What happened? Where am I?" I checked my reflection. I still looked weird but my eyes weren't glowing any more. 'I wonder if this is what happened before when Chichiri and the others wouldn't tell me what was wrong.'  
  
I studied my surroundings. I was definitely in the forest. What I was doing there, I had no clue. I had a faint memory of beating the shit out of Nakago and then wandering off but it was all sort of hazy. I doubted that I would be able to find my way back to the others and I wasn't sure I wanted to. 'I guess that means I quit,' I thought with a laugh. 'Now I'm free!' Then I remember what I had said to Tasuki and my feeling of momentary triumph left. 'I was really harsh. Guess I blew my chances with him.' It was getting dark fast but now I was sure I didn't want to try and find the group. I knew if they let him off the leash, Shiriko would find me and I wouldn't have to do a thing. I decided to find some shelter instead. I found a little indent in the snow by the stream and piled up some branches around it to make a wall. I dug out the bottom of the indent and piled the snow around the branches so I wouldn't be lying on the snow. Then I curled up inside it. It wasn't much but it would have to do.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~Meanwhile. . .Tasuki's POV*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
I watched her form retreat into the forest. I almost considered going after her but it wasn't worth it. 'She made it pretty clear that she doesn't want anything to do with me,' I thought sadly. I couldn't believe she said that though. 'That's what you get for telling someone how you feel, especially a girl like Yume. I should have known she'd say something like that.' I walked back into the inn, still upset. 'I need some sake.' "Hey Tasuki! Where's Yume?" Tamahome asked me. 'Damn Tamahome. Doesn't he know when a guy needs to be left alone?'  
  
"She went for a walk," I answered, trying to hide the pain in my voice.  
  
"Didn't you want to go?" 'Why is he pushing this? Is he trying to piss me off?'  
  
"She didn't want me to. She told me she needed to be alone and not to follow her."  
  
"What'd you do this time?"  
  
"I told her that I cared about her." He didn't say anything else and I walked away. 'I knew that would shut him up.' Miaka walked in soon after. She looked upset about something but I didn't care. I had enough of my own problems to deal with. I didn't need hers. She walked over to me. 'Great. Why can't these people leave me the fuck alone?'  
  
"Tasuki? I need to talk to you," she said. She sounded kind of upset.  
  
"Whadda you want?" I asked while downing a glass of sake. 'That's the stuff.'  
  
"It's about Yume. She ran into me when I was talking to Taiitsu-kun. Taiitsu-kun wanted me to go to Nakago's camp. Yume said she thought that that Taiitsu-kun was a fake and said she'd go instead," Miaka looked really upset now.  
  
"Wait a minute. Why would Taiitsu-kun want you to go to Nakago's camp?" I asked. 'Yume. . .what were you thinking?'  
  
"She said that by. . .well. . .having sex with someone you can control their life force. She wanted me to do that to Nakago," Miaka answered. "I wasn't supposed to say anything but I have a bad feeling about this. I'm sorry, Tasuki."  
  
"Get the others. We have to find her," I ordered. 'What could she possibly be thinking? How could she rather run off and have sex with Nakago than even think about giving me a chance?'  
  
The group gathered fast enough and Chichiri got Shiriko. "Ok, buddy. This is really important. Lead us to Yume," Chichiri ordered.  
  
The dog took off and we followed on horseback. He led us through the woods faster than I thought a dog could run, wolf or no wolf. 'He must be more worried about Yume than I am.' He stopped suddenly at a turning point and we saw that there weren't any clear footprints. He sniffed the air above both paths, looked both ways, and then turned to the right.  
  
"The camp is to the left. Where is he taking us?" Miaka asked. "And why aren't there any footprints going that way?"  
  
"I don't know but I'm trusting him. No one in this group knows Yume better than that dog," I responded, turning the horse and following Shiriko. 'Suzaku let her be safe. She may have rejected me for Nakago but I still want to find her and figure out why.'  
  
We were traveling slower now. Shiriko was having a harder time following the trail. He paused at a stream and we noticed that there was a mark that resembled what it would like if something fell from the sky. We wondered if she tried to swim across it. Then we saw the first sign of any real footprints leading anywhere in this entire track. We were going to follow them when I noticed something weird in the woods. I got off my horse to get a better look. "Look over there! What is that?" I exclaimed, pointing what appeared to be some sort of building.  
  
"Looks like a really cheap shack," Tamahome commented.  
  
"Maybe that's where she is!" I wasn't sure what I was going to say to her when we found her but that wasn't what was important. What mattered now was finding her. Once we did that, I could worry about what to say. The others dismounted and walked towards the shack. Suddenly, Shiriko stopped walking and started to snarl. Something was out there.  
  
Author's Note:  
  
Smack: Uh-oh! What could be out there?  
  
Nephiro: ::pops out of nowhere behind Smack and taps her on the shoulder:: ME!!!  
  
Smack: Ah! On my God! No! Not Nephiro! Anyone but her!  
  
Nephiro: ::grins evilly::  
  
Smack: Why are you here, anyway?  
  
Nephiro: I wanted to see what was going on in this story. That Yume girl has "potential."  
  
Smack: For what? Helping you take over the world?  
  
Nephiro: Maybe. . .  
  
Smack: Just give them the quote and go back to your story.  
  
Nephiro: Fine, fine, oh unworthy master.  
  
"Frustrating, isn't it?" I heard a male voice ask from behind me.  
  
Smack: Sound familiar? It should. If not then you weren't reading very carefully. . .  
  
Nephiro: So long! See you guys in a different fic! 


	22. The Ties That Bind You

Disclaimer: See chapters one through nine or chapter twenty.  
  
Thanks to. . .  
  
Space Vixon: I never ever make promises concerning Yume and Tasuki getting together. Nope. Sorry. You will have to wait and find out. And as for Yume telling them herself. . .I can only tell you to read this chapter.  
  
neppy: Yes. Tingly. Lol. I wrote that part for you. : ) And you'll be happy in this chapter, too. (Nephiro is you, Nep, remember?) And I already told you about Nuriko. Remember?  
  
Otaku Pitcher: Cliffhangers are fun for me, which is why I do them. Hehe. Nephiro's story is coming along pretty good, but you know that by now. It's not quite as thought out and planned as this one (I'm just going with whatever pops in my head) but it's working so far so why mess it up?  
  
Chibi Chrissy: I hate to be the one to tell you this, but I can and I did. And I don't really have a problem with Nakago. I pity him, actually. I just had to have her do that.  
  
Author's Note: I am very proud of this chapter. It is not exactly the best but just about every event in the story so far (minus a few rare instances) have been designed to all lead up to this and the next few chapters. In fact, the next chapter is really just part two of this one. It took me a little longer to get this particular chapter up because I rewrote the entire thing. If you read the original it would be hard for you to find any similarities in Yume's part (just ask neppy, she knows). Once I did that, I wasn't satisfied so I reread it and revised it like five times, which resulted in this version. I think that's enough of an author's note for now. It starts in Yume's point of view, by the way.  
  
'. . .' represent the character who happens to be telling the story at that particular time's thoughts  
  
Chapter 22: The Ties That Bind You. . .  
  
I found myself inside a huge house, wandering through darkened hallways. I was alone. I was unsure why exactly I was here. I was unsure about everything. My memories were hazed, blurred together to form one, confusing mess. There was a light up ahead and I tried to walk towards it. I didn't know what I was doing here or even where I was. I kept walking but I never actually reached the light. It was like a bad dream. "Frustrating, isn't it?" I heard a male voice ask at the back of me. I turned and saw a figure standing there, smirking. It was an orange-haired man. 'Tasuki. . .I think his name is Tasuki. I can't remember anything. . .'  
  
"Who are you? What is this place?" I questioned in a shaky voice. He just laughed a cold, heartless laugh and pulled out a strange, double-bladed weapon. I had never seen a weapon like that before but something about this seemed strangely familiar. He swung the weapon at me and I tried to run away. I cried out in pain as it sliced through my flesh as though it were nothing and fell to the ground. I was unable to hold back the tears that were forcing themselves out of my eyes. He walked over to me and kicked me in the stomach. Then he smiled down at me, an evil smirk that chilled me all the way down to the bottomless pits of my soul. "Why are you doing this to me?" I asked through tears.  
  
"Why? Because you are a weak obnoxious brat, that's why. I tried to tell you how I felt about you and you treated me like I was no more than a toy that you could cast away once you were finished. That's when I realized what a bitch you are. And then you ran off to be with Nakago. That made me apprehend how big of a slut you are. You're a bitch and a slut, that's why!" he exclaimed. "But Miaka on the other hand, she was always there for me. She is the one I really love. You were spying for Nakago the whole time. I'd love to finish this conversation but I have to take you somewhere." I got up and tried to run again but everything was moving in slow motion. "Trying to escape, are we? Well, I can't let that happen. You might bleed to death before I can have the pleasure of killing you." He swung the weapon again, this time cutting me from arm to cheek. I fell again, the tears now flowing freely from my eyes. The salt in them stung my wounds. "You should have stayed put and made it easier on yourself." He grabbed me by my hair and started to drag me with him.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~Elsewhere. . .Tasuki's POV*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
We kept going and Shiriko followed hesitantly. I think he thought something was out there. He stopped suddenly again and stared at the tree in front of us, growling. "It's probably just a squirrel or something," Tamahome said. "Let's just keep going. We'll never find her if we stop at every tree the dog stops at. He probably has to pee."  
  
I wasn't so sure. I knew that Yume trusts what Shiriko sees and hears no matter what she may think she sees. I looked up the tree just to be sure. It was dark so I really couldn't see all that great but as far as I could tell, there was nothing in the tree. I caught up with the group easy enough, managing to take Shiriko with me. It was hard to believe but I was beginning to think that the dumb mutt was starting to warm up to me. He only tried to bite me once.  
  
As we headed towards the indent shelter, I realized that it seemed like we weren't getting any closer. "Hey guys. Is it just me or does it seem like we're going in circles?" I asked the group.  
  
"It does sort of seem like that, you know," Chichiri responded.  
  
"But that doesn't make sense! We must be getting closer," Miaka reasoned.  
  
"It may not make sense but it is the truth. You can walk as much as you like in this forest but you'll never get any closer to your dear little friend Yume. I've trapped you here," a nasally sounding voice said from a tree. Shiriko started snarling.  
  
"What'd you do to Yume? If you hurt her. . ." I threatened.  
  
"She's fine for now but that may change at any moment. I'm under strict orders not to let you get to her," the voice responded. "No matter what."  
  
"Who are you anyway?" Chichiri questioned.  
  
"I'm Tomo of the Seiryuu seishi," the voice replied in a proud tone.  
  
"Seiryuu. . .it figures," I mumbled. "What do you want with Yume?"  
  
"Nothing personally. It's Nakago who wants her. She didn't. . .hehe. . .satisfy him the last time they met. That and she quit without a two week notice," Tomo taunted. "That's quite rude."  
  
"Quit. . .What do you mean 'quit'?" I demanded.  
  
"Oh, didn't she tell you? Well, I guess she wouldn't have. That wouldn't be a very smart move for her. Even she must have realized that. Nakago brought her to this world as a spy. The whole time she was with your little group she was spying for us and the best part about it is. . .you didn't even notice! But she quit so suddenly; poor Nakago just doesn't know what to do! So I'm here to bring her back. For some reason, Nakago seems to like her. I don't really care why. She's not exactly my type. She doesn't look like a screamer and it's not as fun if they don't scream a little. But now that I've blown her cover, I suppose I should just kill her, not that it matters to me whether she lives or dies."  
  
"Ok man. That's just sick," Tamahome comented.  
  
"I don't believe you! Show yourself you lying coward!" I yelled. The rest of the group was silent, taking in the information with silent and solemn stares. I couldn't believe it. Yume wouldn't spy for the enemy, would she? But then again, it certainly would explain a lot. 'Like why she was willing to go to Nakago's camp instead of Miaka and why she came here in the first place. . .'  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~Meanwhile . . .Back with Yume*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
We were outside now. It was cold, really cold, and I didn't know where he was taking me. My body grew numb from the cold as I was I being dragged, dazed past real recognition, watching as the snow around me turned pinkish red when we passed through it. Once we reached the top, I was cast to the side, thrown into a cave wall. "Does this place look familiar, murderer?" my captor asked, leering at me. I turned my head in an attempt to take in my surroundings. I knew something important had happened there at one point but I couldn't recall the details. My memories were fading fast, as was my consciousness. I couldn't remember anything. "No? You don't remember what happened here? This is where you killed Nuriko, where you just sat by and watched him die."  
  
"Picking on defenseless girls again are we, Tasuki?" I heard a new voice call from somewhere outside my extremely limited field of vision.  
  
I looked around for the source and saw a man standing to the left of Tasuki. He had long blond hair and was wearing some weird blue armor. "Ah Nakago. What an unpleasant surprise. What are you doing here? This is none of your concern," Tasuki replied, turning from me to the newcomer.  
  
"You're wrong. This is my concern. I can't just sit back and let you kill this girl. Yume does not deserve this. I won't let you hurt her."  
  
I may not have had all of my memories intact but I knew something about this was wrong. Something told me that these roles were somewhat reversed. Nakago stepped forward and pulled out a sword. Out of nowhere, Tasuki pulled one too. They began to fight. Tasuki was winning at first. He landed a couple of decent blows on Nakago but Nakago was slowly making a comeback. He struck Tasuki on the back of his head with the handle of his sword. Tasuki fell to the ground with a sick thud and Nakago turned towards me. "Are you ok, Yume?" he asked, moving towards me. I attempted to scoot away, away from him. Something told me all was not right here and I couldn't do anything to protect myself. "What's wrong, Yume? Don't you remember me?" He grinned and it scared me. "I forgive you for what you did before. Come one now, we can go back to what we were like prior to your breakdown, can't we?"  
  
'This isn't right. What's going on? Why is he here?'  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~Back With the Rest (Tasuki's POV)*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Tomo laughed. "Loyalty, such an adorable human trait. I'd be touched if it wasn't so pathetic and misguided. Are you afraid to believe me because you don't want to think that you could possibly have been deceived by such an innocent and lost looking little girl?" he taunted. He jumped from the tree and I started to lunge at him. "I wouldn't do that if I were you. Harm me and you risk losing Yume forever. I hold her mind in my hands. I could easily destroy her now with a simple twist of my wrist." I looked to Chichiri to see if he was telling the truth.  
  
"It could be true, Tasuki. We better find out what he did with her first," Chichiri said.  
  
"I can't heal her if we damage her mind. I can only heal physical wounds, not mental ones," Mitsukake added.  
  
"What'd you do with her?" I asked Tomo, slowly losing my patience with this demented freak.  
  
"It's very simple actually. I trapped her mind inside this shell. She's living in an imaginary world inside in her own mind as we speak and she doesn't even know that it's not real." His ugly face laughed at his own "brilliance."  
  
I walked over to Chichiri. "Can we attack him?" I asked quietly.  
  
"As long as we don't hit the shell she should be safe. Don't kill him though because I don't know how to get her out of his world," he answered.  
  
I smirked. "Fine. I'll just lekka shinen his sorry Seiryuu ass!" I pulled out my tessen. Shiriko snarled at the clown and I kneeled down to his level. "Look, I know we never got along but I need you to do something for me." The dog looked at me as though he were listening. "Can you get that shell from that guy? I need to fight him but I don't want to risk hurting Yume." He nodded and snuck into the shadows, practically disappearing into the darkness. He's kind of cool for a dog. I can see why Yume would like him. "Hey, Tomo! How do you escape from the shell world, anyway?"  
  
He held out the shell. 'He talks too much.' "I suppose I can tell you. It's not like you can do anything to help her. It's fairly simple, really. You just have to realize that it's fake," he explained. "But that almost never happens." Shiriko chose to make his move at that moment. He jumped up and easily snatched the shell from Tomo's outstretched hand.  
  
As soon as he was out of the way, I yelled "Lekka Shinen!" and watched as Tomo caught on fire. Shiriko dropped the shell at my feet. "We make a pretty good team," I said to the dog. Shiriko barked in response. I didn't know if it was in agreement or what but at least he responded for once.  
  
"Stop drop and roll buddy. Stop drop and roll," Tamahome called out, laughing.  
  
"Now then, release her from the shell now," I ordered, holding my tessen, ready to strike again.  
  
"Fine." He said some weird words and threw the shell. Nothing happened. I glared at him. "She should be conscious now." He disappeared, smirking still. Something told me he was lying.  
  
Shiriko and I ran towards the shelter. Yume was in there, lying practically lifeless. If she wasn't breathing I'd swear she was dead. She looked different but I was sure that it was her. A feeling of relief washed over me. She was alive and looked ok. 'We can always find out if Tomo was telling the truth later.' I ran towards her but was shot backwards but some unseen force. A multi-colored shield formed around her. "What the fuck?"  
  
"Tasuki? Are you ok?" Chichiri asked.  
  
"You're interrupting something even you cannot stop. Leave now or I'll have no choice but to kill you," an evil but innocent sounding female voice declared.  
  
Author's Note:  
  
Smack: Yea, I know. Another cliffhanger. This is one of that last ones (in a row) so you can deal.  
  
neppy: ::nods head:: Yea! Deal with it!  
  
Smack: Yume's part of the chapter should seem vaguely familiar (if you have any sort of memory at all). But will she be able to realize that the world is fake? Or will she remain a prisoner in her mind for all of eternity? And what will the group do with her now that they know the truth? What will Tasuki do?  
  
neppy: ::raises hand and hops up and down:: I know! I know! Pick me, Smack! Pick me!  
  
Smack: ::gestures towards neppy:: And she wonders why I didn't want her for a muse? Just give them the quote, Nep.  
  
neppy: Fine. . .  
  
"You didn't do it right. Duh," an innocent sounding voice answered from behind me.  
  
neppy: I love little-  
  
Smack: SHUT UP!!! MAN! YOU'RE WORSE THAN ME!  
  
neppy: I'm sorry, Smack. Can I still be your muse?  
  
Smack: I guess. Oh and those of you who I gave a role to, you will be in the chapter after the next one (24). Bye for now!  
  
neppy: So long! 


	23. Can Never Be Broken

Disclaimer: Guess what? I still don't own Fushigi Yuugi.  
  
Thanks to. . .  
  
neppy: Yea. I love Shiriko, too. This chapter is 100% different too. Try and find the differences and make me feel like you pay attention. Please?  
  
Songwind: You are my new favorite person! (Not really but that's ok.) You know, you're the only person who recognized that it was familiar? Isn't that just sad? I'm glad you pay attention. That makes me happy. And. . .I don't know if Yume can hear you. . .she's usually in her own little world. . .  
  
Otaku Pitcher: I'm glad that I'm improving in your mind. And it's ok that it took you a few days to review. I'd rather have a review a days after than no review at all. ::nods:: Yup. I would.  
  
Cortney: The other Seiryuu might make an appearance. I haven't decided if I want them to or not yet. They more than likely will.  
  
Cortney (#2): Are you two the same person? Smack is confused. Anyway, I read your story and reviewed. It's great. I'm proud of you. Oh, it will only get more confusing, sorry. That's what happens in my world.  
  
Author's Notes: Umm. . .this chapter is going to be a little confusing, and not just because I'm not going to explain anything again. Yume is going to be having a discussion with her mind so there is going to be some confusing mind dialogue, and I'm not separating the dialogue only because it's not really two separate people talking. I have my reasons for what I do. Trust me. ::innocent smile:: Oh, the characters that I created for neppy, Renee, Otaku Pitcher and RyogazGal are making their appearance in this chapter. It's a brief entrance, the next chapter is really when they are explained but whatever. I hope you enjoy my continuation of the last chapter.  
  
'. . .' are dialogue heard only by Yume because it's in her head.  
  
Chapter 23: . . .Can Never be Broken  
  
"You're interrupting something even you cannot stop. Leave now or I'll have no choice but to kill you," an evil but innocent female voice declared. Four balls of light appeared and out of them, four girls stepped. "I have warned you so do not interfere. This has to happen and there is nothing you can do to stop it," she said. She had long, silver hair and piercing blue eyes (mini/neppy). "Although it'd be fun to watch you try."  
  
"What, do you guys work for Nakago or something?" I asked.  
  
"Us? Work for that fag?" the one that appeared from the red answered (Otaku Pitcher). They all laughed. This one had shoulder length light brown hair and blue eyes.  
  
"We wouldn't even be caught dead in the same room with him yet alone work for him," the one from the green replied (RyogazGal). She had long black hair and deep aqua eyes. I looked at the last that had remained silent. She was watching me with deep, dark brown eyes and her face was framed by light brown hair (Renee).  
  
The others arrived, took one look at the shield around Yume and the four girls and face faulted. "Now what?" Tamahome exclaimed in frustration. "All this trouble for Yume? She's not worth it!" I decided not to comment on that little remark. She was worth it, I think. Maybe she's not. I don't really know what to think about her anymore. I just need to talk to her.  
  
"What's going on?" Chichiri asked me.  
  
The one in from the red stepped forward. "We were sent here by Taiitsu-kun to make sure that no one interferes with the process," she explained.  
  
"Process? What process?" I asked.  
  
The silver haired one laughed an evil laugh. "You'll see. . .if she passes."  
  
Three of the four girls walked through the shield. The only one that was left was staring at us intently, obviously not planning on letting us by. I walked towards the barrier that was the only thing keeping me from making sure Yume was all right. I attempted to pass through it like they did but was shot back, just like before. "You're just going to hurt yourself," the girl said.  
  
"I don't care. I want to make sure Yume is ok," I snapped.  
  
"Tasuki, you have to calm down, you know. Just hang in there. Yume will be ok. I'm sure she'll pass whatever it is she has to do," Chichiri instructed. "From what we've seen of her, I doubt that there is anything she can't do." I didn't want to just sit around and do nothing but I knew that that's all I really could do at the moment. I did as was told. But I wasn't happy about it. Nope, I was no happy camper.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~Yume's Mind*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
I looked at the face of the man who was so confident that we should be able to go back to however we were before I did whatever I did. I tried really hard to make sense of the jumbled memories that were my own. Slowly, my memories of the past began to make sense to me. 'I had hurt him. Hurt him badly. Physically, not emotionally like I had done to Tasuki. And I had enjoyed it. I wonder why.' "No. We cannot go back to the way things were. We didn't have a relationship then, we don't have one now. I have always hated you. Nothing has changed," I managed to declare; attempting to sound confident although inside I was anything but.  
  
"What are you talking about, Yume? I've always been helping you, from day one. You wouldn't even be in this world if it weren't for me. You wouldn't be alive right now if I didn't save your life. You owe me, Yume. You owe me," he said.  
  
"I don't owe you a thing! It's true you brought me here but you've tried to kill me countless times since then! And don't you even try to deny it! I bet this world is some trick right now! This place can't be real and neither can you! Tasuki would never try to hurt me like this! No matter how mad or hurt I made him, he would never do the things he did in this hallucination!" I yelled. I regained my confidence and now I was pissed. I hate it when people think they can get away with lying to me. I don't care what their reasoning is. Honesty is very important to me (which is kind of funny seeing how I've been lying to everyone since I got here).  
  
Nakago gave me a look of pure self-assurance. "Are you sure? How can you be? After what you did to him, I don't think it's possible for you to be sure about anything about him. Rejection can make people do terrible things."  
  
"You'd know wouldn't you? I remember beating the crap out of you. I wouldn't have done that if I didn't have just cause," I replied. "So even if there was some basis for the way Tasuki acted, I still know that you're lying."  
  
"Are you sure?"  
  
"I am sure. You're full of shit and I know it."  
  
The world around me began to black out I was held in suspension. I was so sick of being held in suspended animation. It's like being trapped in between dreams and reality. You never know what to expect in such a place. Nakago turned into a weird man, who had more makeup on than a lot of the girls in my school. (And them American high school girls sure do love their makeup.) He sneered at me from his spot in the black abyss. "Very good, Yume. You saw through my world," he said. His voice was just about as obnoxious as his appearance.  
  
"Let me go, now," I demanded. He laughed.  
  
"I'm afraid I can't do that unless you agree to come back to see Nakago with me. You two made a deal and you broke it. Not very wise," he taunted, waving his finger at me.  
  
"Just who are you, anyway?" I demanded.  
  
"Tomo of the Seiryuu seven. Nakago ordered me to get you back. You agreed to be a spy and come here. Around here, your word is your bond. In your case, your word is your ticket back to reality," he explained. "Although, you were exposed so he really doesn't have much use for you now, as a spy anyway. I'm sure he'll think of a new use fairly quickly." He was making me sick.  
  
"If I'm no good as a spy, why does he want me back so bad?" I had a feeling I knew the answer but didn't exactly want to admit it. You wouldn't want to either if knew what I was thinking.  
  
"He probably wants the pleasure of killing you himself or perhaps he wants to make up for the last time you two got together. You did hurt his feelings, leaving him like that." He was smiling a rather creepy smile now.  
  
"Yea well tough shit. We don't always get what we want in life, do we? I'm not going back to him. I'd leave him there again if I had the chance."  
  
"That's the spirit! Just keep throwing me excuses to kill you! Soi would be ever so sad if she were to be replaced by someone like you. You're just a child, a poor, weak, child. Though, I'd rather bring you back to him, if I had the choice. You did agree to something and I could get such pleasure out of watching your spirit being broken and hearing your screams."  
  
'Oh my God this guy is nasty! Ok, Yume. Get back to the point. What exactly did you agree to?' I brought my mind back to the day I came here. 'Wait. . .I only agreed to go to Konan. I never agreed to be a spy!' I laughed and Tomo looked at me surprised. "I hate to break it to you, clown boy, but I found a flaw in your so-called prefect little plan."  
  
"Oh? Please, tell me about this alleged 'flaw'."  
  
"I only agreed to go to Konan. The words 'I agree to be a spy' never crossed my lips. Since I never agreed to that, I didn't break the deal. You have to let me go now," I declared, putting my hands on my hips. "The reason you're keeping me here is no longer valid." 'I should so be a lawyer when I grow up, even if everyone hates lawyers. I have a skill.'  
  
He seemed to be thinking hard about something. I watched as the day I arrived played around me. Once we got to the part where I agreed to go, it stopped. "You may be right but I'm still not going to send you back." He disappeared, laughing.  
  
Now I was stuck in this world of blackness. 'How am I going to get out of this place?' I wandered around the world but couldn't find any lovely red flashing "Exit" signs or even a break in the darkness. I tried pinching myself but all that did was make my arm hurt. 'Well, it was worth a shot. I guess I'm not asleep.' For some reason, I felt my mind go back to when Tomo played that portion of what happened. 'How could he do that? It seemed just like a memory,' I wondered. "A memory! That's it! Maybe this blackness is my mind! But is my mind really this dark?" I exclaimed. "But how can I be a prisoner of my own mind? That doesn't make sense. . .This is a long shot but I'm going to try and "think" myself out of here." I closed my eyes and concentrated really hard on leaving. I opened them to find myself still there. 'Damn. . .there must be a way out! I wish I could at least see what is around me!' My "mind" illuminated, revealing a much nicer place, full of light. At least half of it was. There was a portion that was a dark, intimidating looking forest. "How come that worked but when I tried to think myself out, it didn't?" I asked myself.  
  
"You didn't do it right. Duh," an innocent sounding voice answered from behind me. I turned and found myself face to face with. . .me? A lot younger me but it was definitely me. She was smiling and holding a stuffed wolf. "You have to do it the right way."  
  
"Well, could you tell me how to do it?" I asked her nicely.  
  
"Not exactly but the ugly old floating lady told me you have to have something to go back to," she replied, hugging her wolf.  
  
"The ugly old floating lady? You mean Taiitsu-kun? Why'd she tell you that?" I was really confused now. 'First I'm trapped in a dream, then I'm stuck in my mind and now, I'm talking to myself, literally. I guess it's just another day in my life.'  
  
"She told me to tell you if you got this far. I don't know why," the little girl explained. Total innocence. I remember when I was like that. How long ago that was.  
  
'Something to go back to? What do you have there?' a voice whispered into my mind. 'You lost your chance with Tasuki. He probably hates you now, just like Tomo showed you. Nuriko isn't even alive anymore. Who's going to back you up now? You're cover has been blown. They'll never trust you again,' it continued. 'You have a good point. I don't have much waiting for me there,' I thought. 'But it's not my nature to give up. Sure, there's nothing for me there but there wasn't anything for me before, either. Besides, Shiriko's with them. He'll always be there for me.' 'What if they killed him?' it asked.  
  
'They wouldn't!' my mind yelled. 'How can you be sure? You did betray them. Anger can make people do things they wouldn't normally do. Do you want to take that sort of chance? What if you go back only to find that he's dead? Who will protect you then? You'll be completely alone. Isn't it better not to know than to lose the one you care about most in the world?' It was hitting some pretty good points. That hadn't crossed my mind before. What if they did kill him? I couldn't even think it. I'd be so lost without him. 'Maybe it would be better not to know. . .I just need some sort of clue!' I felt something materialize in my hand. I looked down and found the picture we took on the boat. The one I took of Tasuki (the good one) was under it. "No! I have to trust them! They were my friends! They would never betray me like that! The ties that bind us can never be broken!" I yelled. "And if Tasuki hates me, so be it! He has every right to after what I said to him. They're my friends. They'll let me explain myself. That's what I have to go back to. My friends!"  
  
"Congratulations, Yume. You beat yourself," the voice said. I felt extreme pain and screamed in agony.  
  
My forehead felt like it was being burned; the same thing was happening to my hands and lower neck. I felt like I was being hit with hot iron. 'Guess I know how a cow feels,' I managed to think before the pain began so relentless that no rational thoughts could form in my mind. My world started to whirl around me and then flew past. My eyes closed themselves and felt a jolt go through my body. I opened my eyes slowly to find myself lying in the shelter I had built before surrounded by a strange light. I couldn't move because the pain was so severe. I managed to turn my head to the side and saw three girls I didn't know. "What's going on?" I asked them.  
  
Author's Note: Mwahahaha ha haha ha. Hm. ::clears throat:: Ok, I'm done. Yup. I'm leaving you with another cliffhanger type thing but it's not as bad as the last few. You have to wonder, what will the group do with Yume now? Will they actually let her explain herself or will they do what the voice and Tomo said? And what purpose do the girls have in all of this? Scratch that, what purpose does Yume have in all of this? What's with the burning sensation? Is that enough questions for you? Did I leave any out? I'm trying a new thing, by the way. I'm trying to give you the questions to think about. That way, you might actually think about the important points that I want you to. Yea. So, I guess that's it. The next chapter is probably my favorite so I might get it up fast. No promises though cause it's my spring break and I might want to relax.  
  
Quote:  
  
"Oh my God! You look like a leprechaun!"  
  
Hehe. That's not my favorite line but it's up there on my list. The other one I like is "That sounded like a bad soap opera" and "His eyes got big like a little kid when you tell them they can go to the zoo." Oh, I have a small request for any Harry Potter fans out there. My friend neppy wrote an awesome story (at least I think so) that involves some Harry Potter characters and several original, including the main character but no one is giving it a chance because it involves original people. One of my people in a different fic, of course, is in it (Nephiro from "Itsuka"). I was just wondering if you could give it a shot. She's feeling down so. . .yea. That's all I ask.  
  
~Smack 


	24. Those Pesky Voices

Disclaimer: See previous chapters and then do what they tell you to. (Please.)  
  
Thanks to. . .  
  
Songwind: Mmm. . .cookies. Yume has many, many other things on her mind other than what to say to them. Trust me. She's got bigger problems. But I understand what you mean. Oh, please don't kill me when you're done with this chapter.  
  
neppy: Yup, you named most of the changes. I wrote that one pretty much from the top of my head. No thought or nothing. But that's what seems to work for me, eh?  
  
Cortney: I read your fic. Thanks for telling me it was updated. Good, good story. Anyway, back to your review. . .I'm glad you love Yume. She's got to be one of my favorite characters that I ever created. (It's a tie between her and Nephiro.) Thanks again for the review.  
  
Otaku Pitcher: I make them cliffhangers because if I don't, instead of several nice long chapters, I'll have one mutated large chapter that seems to never end. Scary thought for me so I do it my way. Ah. . .lil Yume. There's a lot more to her than one would think. ::nods:: Some of my sentences are just like that. I don't know. I miss things. They all make sense to me but I have an odd mind as it is so thanks for pointing it out. No guarantee that I'll fix it because I probably won't be able to find them. Glad you liked it.  
  
Author's Note: I love this chapter. ::big smile:: I just have a couple technical things to say about it and then I'll let you read it. One: from this moment on (actually, from chapter nineteen on; I'm just lazy and forgot to tell you), this fic will no longer follow the show. It will be following a strange plot that occasionally coincides with the real one but is generally made up by me. Also, certain CHARACTER'S that weren't given personalities in the show will be given personalities by me (along with physical appearances). That means they are sort of original characters, at least the way I make them, so they are sort of owned by me. The names aren't but the rest of them are. You'll understand once you read.  
  
'. . .' are dialogue heard only by Yume  
  
Chapter 24: Those Pesky Voices. . .  
  
A colorful shield surrounded me as I lay on the ground, staring dumbly as the throbbing pain I was feeling continued to increase with each and every ragged breath I took. The three girls ignored me and proceeded with whatever it was that they were doing before I woke up. "I can't believe it! I was counting on her failing!" a girl with silver hair exclaimed.  
  
"Cough up the dough. You said she'd fail and she didn't! You owe me money, Seppuka!" a black-haired girl responded.  
  
"She hasn't passed yet, Fae. They haven't said so," the silver haired girl, Seppuka, replied in a desperate tone.  
  
"Will someone please tell me what the fuck is going on?" I demanded. "Who are you people?"  
  
The girls looked at me. "You'll find out soon enough. If you're worthy that is," Seppuka stated, smirking evilly.  
  
The pain subsided temporarily and I used that brief moment to sit up. "Look, Seppy, she's obviously going to be found worthy. The symbols are already beginning to appear," the girl with long black hair said. "Just give up. You're fighting a losing battle."  
  
"You really need to shut up Fae!" Seppuka yelled. "You haven't won yet!"  
  
I didn't have time to laugh at the fight that was beginning to form because the massive pain in my head returned. "So this is the mind I might end up sharing. There's definitely a lot of space. Not that I mean that as an insult. You just have an immense mind. So many unexplored regions. You have an extremely interesting psyche as well. Double sided personalities are so unusual nowadays," I heard a male voice say.  
  
I looked around. There were no new people in the group. "Who said that?" I asked, frantically searching for any sign that I wasn't truly insane. I knew I wouldn't find one. It's finally happened. I have officially lost it.  
  
Seppuka just looked at me and laughed. "I may have lost but it will be more than worth it to watch this. She's going to go insane!" she exclaimed happily.  
  
"Now, to see if you're truly worthy. How have you treated those that you consider to be your friends?" the voice continued.  
  
It felt like someone was going through my memories. I was remembering things that I wasn't trying to, and in no particular order, either. But, I recognized that voice. "Wait. . .you sound just like the voice that had helped me when I fell into the water with Nuriko."  
  
"Good job. That was I; along with some of the other times you heard voices besides your own in your head. You just earned yourself some points," he responded.  
  
"Can you three hear the voice, too?" I asked the snickering girls whose names I still had yet to learn. Seppuka and Fae just burst out laughing.  
  
The one with the shoulder length light brown hair spoke up for the first time. "Only you can hear them, Yume. If you would like, I can put you back into your mind so you will be able to communicate more directly with the ones who inhabit you mind," she offered. "Perhaps it will be easier for you to figure out the truth there." She shot Seppuka and Fae a look and they quieted down a bit.  
  
"Umm. . .ok, I guess." She walked towards me and placed her palm on my forehead. I was a little skeptical as to what this was going to do but went with it anyway. I closed my eyes for a second on impulse and when I reopened them, I was back in the dark chambers of my mind.  
  
"So you made it," the voice said. I turned and found a man with bright red hair that seemed to defy gravity and float over his head. He had a strange red character on his forehead, too. I found myself thinking that he was hot. . .very hot. "Thanks, Yume. You're not too bad yourself. Your new hair color works for you." He winked at me and I blushed a red almost as bright as the man's hair.  
  
"How'd you know what I was thinking?" I asked.  
  
"Well, we are in your mind. Your thoughts are public property here," he answered.  
  
"Yea, about that. . .why are you here? Who are you?" I questioned. I didn't exactly want to be rude but I needed to know why I was having my mind filled with strange people.  
  
"Hey people! Hope I'm not interrupting anything but I wanted to check this place out, too," another voice that I recognized sounded. A man with spiked up white hair appeared next to the guy with red hair. He also had a character on his forehead, but his was white, not red.  
  
"Ok. . .what's going on? Why does it seem like my mind is being invaded by a bunch of guys?" I exclaimed. "And how come I recognize all of your voices?"  
  
"You recognize us because we were in your head before. And we're not guys, we're gods, remember that," a new voice answered. This one was attached to another guy with long, blue hair. He had a blue character on is forehead and was waving his pointer finger in a scolding manner but then stopped. "I agree with Suzaku. You aren't that bad, either."  
  
The white haired one walked up to me. "I almost wish you were my priestess instead of that other girl. It has been such a long time since I have last been summoned. I'm bored. Oh well, I kind of like you. I think you're worthy."  
  
"At least you got to be summoned," Suzaku complained.  
  
"Yea, at least you got to be. Me and Suzaku over here haven't even had the pleasure of a summoning," Seiryuu added.  
  
"You're all forgetting one thing! She wasn't there for her friends when they needed her most! She's been dishonest the entire time she's been in this world. She broke that one guys heart and almost killed another! She's untrustworthy, deceiving and weak," a new voice sounded. 'He sounds just like the voice in my dream, the one who harassed me when I dreamed about Nuriko dying.' "That's because I am and I meant what I said before: I don't need someone like you in my world."  
  
"Hey, Genbu. Relax man. She's-" that white haired one started.  
  
"No, it's ok. I can defend myself. I did do all that but I couldn't be that weak if I managed to almost kill Seiryuu's most powerful warrior, now could I? Besides, I have my reasons for what I do. Judge for yourselves whether or not I'm worthy. Just remember that this is my mind so if anyone is going to leave, it will be you, not me."  
  
"She's got spunk," the white haired god said, smirking at me.  
  
"Why don't you describe some of those reasons you speak of? It would better for us to hear them from you rather than your subconscious," Suzaku suggested.  
  
"Yea, why don't you justify your actions, if you can," Genbu added. 'He can't even show himself yet I'm the weakling. Yea, that makes sense,' I thought bitterly.  
  
I took a deep breath and thought about what to say. How can I explain something that I'm not even entirely sure of? "Well, I think the Nakago thing is pretty much self-explanatory," I said, starting with the easier of my problems. "He attacked me."  
  
"You went there on your own," Genbu commented.  
  
"Yea, to protect Suzaku's priestess. She wouldn't have had a chance against him," I retorted.  
  
"And you think you could?" Genbu asked.  
  
"I had a better chance than her. And I think I handled it pretty good, if I do say so myself," I answered.  
  
The white haired god nudged Seiryuu. "This is getting good," he commented.  
  
"Byakko! Why don't try and act mature for once?" Genbu ordered.  
  
"Why don't you try and not be such an ass for once?" Byakko countered.  
  
"Ok, both of you shut up! This is about Yume not you!" Seiryuu declared. "Yume, please continue your explanation. How about you explain your reasoning behind the way you dealt with the mortal called Tasuki?"  
  
Great. The hard one first. Just what I need. "This is going to sound stupid considering what happened but I didn't want to hurt him."  
  
Genbu did his respective snort and I ignored it. "Nice reasoning," he mumbled.  
  
"Says the man who taunts girls in their dreams," I hissed, just low enough so that I knew he'd be able to hear me. Apparently Byakko heard me too and he laughed a little.  
  
"I think I'm going to like her," he whispered to Seiryuu. "She's funny."  
  
"At that point, I was still working for Nakago anyway so it would have hurt him a heck of a lot more if he found out the whole time I was there, I was helping his enemy plot his and his friend's demise. That is not something I think would go over well," I continued. "That and I had a lot of things to sort out. I had just watched a friend of mine die and not be able to do anything about it because I was too weak to get there in time. Plus, I wasn't really sure about my own feelings. I didn't want to lead him on only to figure out that I didn't care about him. That would have hurt him a lot more."  
  
The gods just sat there, no one having anything to say. "Wow. . .that sounded like a bad soap opera," Byakko stated, breaking the silence.  
  
I laughed. "Guess you're right but that's my life," I replied. "Wait. . .do they have soap operas in ancient China?"  
  
"No, he just got that from one of your memories," Suzaku answered. "And you live in a very interesting world. I'd like to go there one day."  
  
"Maybe someday, if I ever get back, I'll take you with me," I told him.  
  
His eyes got big, like a little child when you tell them they can go to the zoo. "Really?"  
  
"Sure. . ."  
  
"You're missing the point again!" Genbu complained. "That little story doesn't prove that she's worthy."  
  
"But she said she'd take me to her world!" Suzaku exclaimed in a high- pitched voice, obviously just trying to piss Genbu off.  
  
"You three are so annoying!"  
  
"She did risk her life on several occasions to save her friends. That has to count for something," Byakko reminded them.  
  
"And she underwent the first part of the transformation on her own. She unlocked some of her powers, too," Seiryuu added.  
  
"Powers which caused her to almost murder one of your warriors," Genbu said.  
  
"We went over this all ready! He was trying to rape her!" Suzaku exclaimed.  
  
"Of course you have no problem with this, Suzaku. She'd be benefiting your side more than any other," Genbu responded. I was shocked. He was trying to turn the gods against each other. He must really hate me a lot. Hehe.  
  
"Well, if Nakago wasn't such a butt hole and didn't use people like he does maybe she'd be more willing to help both sides!" Suzaku retorted. 'I have no clue what they're talking about. Lalalala.' "She has to do what we tell her anyway."  
  
"Seiryuu, are you going to let him talk about your warriors like that?"  
  
"Well. . .Nakago is behaving rather disappointingly. I could use a way to talk to my priestess and make her realize the error in her ways. I'm with them," he answered.  
  
"Three out of four. We win, Genbu. Show yourself," Suzaku ordered. A short man with green hair and a little green goatee appeared. He was scowling and wearing green and gold robes.  
  
I pointed at him. "Oh my God! You look like a leprechaun!" I declared on impulse.  
  
"And this is the girl you wish to rest our fate on?" he said, gesturing towards me.  
  
"Yup."  
  
"Ok then. . . Just remember you three, she is a tool of communication not a pet," Genbu said. "Don't get too attached."  
  
"But I always wanted a pet girl! Someone to talk to until late at night, help me do my hair and share fashion advice with!" Byakko cried sarcastically, walking over to me and holding me close. "You can't take her away from me!" I blushed and looked down at my thumbs that were twiddling themselves.  
  
Genbu slapped himself on the forehead. "Idiots. I work with a bunch of idiots."  
  
"We know, we know. We're so stupid. We're so immature. Deal with it, Genbu," Suzaku finished it. "Yume, it's time to return back to the real world. Seppuka, Katana, Renee, and Fae will explain everything to you," Suzaku told me.  
  
I opened my eyes suddenly and rubbed my forehead. I felt a slight raise in the skin in a shape. I looked at the back of my hands and sure enough, where I had been experiencing pain, there were scars as though I had been burned etched into my skin in the shape of two of the gods' symbols. It looked like they had been there forever. "Looks like we got ourselves a new Oracle, girls," Fae said, smiling.  
  
'Oracle? What are they talking about?'  
  
Author's Note: Muahahahaha! Yet another little cliffhanger. But this has to be one of my favorite chapters. I love Byakko. ( He's my buddy. Anyway, you should see now why I said some characters were going to be messed with. Nobody gave the gods personalities in the show or manga so I made it up. The next two chapters are going to be mainly explanation chapters, which should make you all happy, and will probably answer a lot of the questions you have (including some from a few chapters back). They will have actual action in them, it's not like going to be some long paragraph about what I hope to accomplish in this story or anything. The explanation is built into the chapter. Yea. . .I guess that's it. Here's your quote:  
  
"Stop laughing!" I yelled. Everyone looked at me with even weirder looks. "Did I just say that out loud?" They nodded. "I think I'm going to go to bed now. I need sleep." 'Nice going, Yume,' Byakko teased. 'Shut up.'  
  
I gave you guys a long quote because I couldn't find a short one that would do. Besides, I like that part. (when it's in context, of course)  
  
~Smack 


	25. A Long Over Due Explanation!

Disclaimer: Bah humbug. Haha. Just kidding. I don't own Fushigi Yuugi. If I did. . .well. . .we'll just leave it at that. ^_~  
  
Thanks to. . .  
  
Otaku Pitcher: It's one of my favorite chapters, too. And I made it a comic relief chapter because the past few and next couple are going to be depressing again. So you should be happy. Glad I got originality points. I don't like to think of myself as unoriginal. o.O Yume is becoming a bit more refined, I suppose, but let's see how long that'll last. Hehe.  
  
neppy: Yup, she always bets on the wrong person.  
  
Songwind: Yes, Byakko is awesome. I love him. ::hugs Byakko:: (Don't tell nobody but I am working on that idea of yours just for laughs. . .)  
  
Fyfangirl26: I am so glad that chapter amused everyone! It makes me happy to know that my (some times) pathetic attempts at comedy work. I didn't think anyone ever defined the gods so I made them my way. Thanks for the review!  
  
KisnetNoelani: Thanks for taking the time to review. You might not wanna follow this for Fushigi Yuugi because I am no longer following the story line. But I do appreciate your review.  
  
Author's Note: Wow! I must say that I am overwhelmed by the response I got on that last chapter. I was hoping for something like that but man! You guys surprised me! I know it took a while longer to get this up but if you want to know why, read the end author's note. This one is, as the chapter title implies, a long over-due explanation so sit back and enjoy the ride. Umm. . .everything isn't explained but most is so be happy! Smack is being nice!  
  
'. . .' are dialogue inside Yume's mind which means only she can hear it  
  
Chapter 25: A Long Over-due Explanation!  
  
The one with the light brown hair, ('Katana,' Suzaku told me), waved her hand and the shield dropped, revealing the fourth girl, ('Renee'), and my "friends." They just stared dumbfounded, nobody making a move towards me, nobody even thinking of asking if I'm ok. I just nearly died but you know, who gives a shit about that anymore? 'It's the hair, isn't it?' I asked my friends upstairs. 'That and your new body markings,' Byakko answered. 'You mean the scars?' 'Yup. They don't always go over well with the public,' he replied. 'Gotcha.'  
  
"There will be plenty of time to gawk at Miss Yume later. Right now she has an appointment with Destiny," Katana ordered. "We must take her to see Taiitsu-kun."  
  
My bag materialized next to me and I decided to break the awkward stares and overall ignoring of my presence. "Are you going to tell me what's going on now?" I asked the four girls.  
  
"You mean you don't know either?" Tamahome exclaimed in disbelief.  
  
"Do I ever?" I countered.  
  
"All will be explained in time but now you must ready yourself for our travel," Katana said omnisciently.  
  
"So people keep telling me. Sorry, but I've learned not to believe that."  
  
"And we've learned not to believe you," I heard Tamahome mutter. I narrowed my eyes at him and he looked away.  
  
The rest of the group was pretty much staying out of our discussion, almost afraid to talk to me. I looked around for some sort of friendly face. Not even Chichiri would look at me. Tasuki wouldn't meet my gaze, either. But I didn't really care anymore. 'I'm on my own again. Such is my fate.' I spotted Shiriko and walked towards him. He jumped up on me and licked my face. I couldn't help but smile at him. At least he was happy that I was alive. "We're going to leave now." Katana, not even waiting for a response, waved her hand yet again and we seemed to disintegrate and then materialized outside some sort of bizarre palace.  
  
"I see you underwent your transformation perfectly. I must say, not only am I slightly proud, but I'm also extremely surprised," a grouchy voice I immediately recognized as Taiitsu-kun's said.  
  
"I'm not sure if that was an insult or a compliment so I'll take it as a compliment, for your sake," I replied. 'Humph. Yet another person who expected me to fail.'  
  
"Well now, don't do me any favor."  
  
"Don't worry, I won't."  
  
"I suppose you want an explanation," she said, sounding more than a little annoyed with this ordeal.  
  
"It would be nice. I was told those four would give me one but I have yet to hear anything other than that they had a bet going on whether or not I'd live," I responded irritably, tired of being clueless.  
  
"Follow me inside, then. Katana, Seppuka, Renee and Fae come with us. The rest of you, go with Nyan-nyan. She'll show you to your rooms so you can get settled in before dinner." A strange little blue haired girl appeared and grabbed hold of the warriors and priestess. This may seem mean, but I was happy to see them go. I followed Taiitsu-kun and the girls to wherever they were leading me. 'I still wish I knew what was going on,' I complained. 'You have to be patient Yume. They'll explain it eventually,' Suzaku scolded. 'I know, I know.'  
  
We finally arrived in a big room with a giant mirror in it along with a few chairs. "You may want to sit down for this. It could take a while and I doubt you are feeling great," Taiitsu-kun said.  
  
"I prefer to stand, thank you," I replied curtly.  
  
"Suit yourself. What do you wish to know first?" she asked.  
  
"Hmm. . .I don't know. How about why I suddenly have four guys in my head and who those girls are?" I responded allowing more than a hint of annoyance to be present in my voice. I was sick of being polite. I earned my rudeness.  
  
"Not an unreasonable request. The four people you speak of are Suzaku, Byakko, Seiryuu, and Genbu, the four gods of the four countries of this world," she answered.  
  
"I already knew that. Care to tell me something new?" The scar on my lower neck grew warm and I heard myself say, "Taiitsu-kun, just tell her what she has to do already. Both Seiryuu and I have more important things to do with her than listen to you blab about non-relevant things." The warmth left. 'Ok, what was that?' I asked my mind. 'Suzaku used you to speak. That's your job as an Oracle,' Seiryuu answered. 'Well, I wouldn't know that seeing how nobody is telling me what my job is!'  
  
"Yes, of course Suzaku. It seems the gods have chosen you as their new Oracle." I heard a grunt from my mind, which I identified as Genbu's. 'Oh come on, Genbu. You know ya love me,' I taunted. 'You're merely a tool for us to use and dispose of as we see fit,' he responded indignantly. 'And I don't love you, you obnoxious brat.' 'Whatever you have to tell yourself, sweetheart.' 'Grr. . .'  
  
"So what do I have to do? I keep getting pieces from my 'friends' upstairs but I'm still confused," I confessed.  
  
"I was getting to that. What an impatient girl you are! Humph. As I was saying, she glared at me a little before continuing, "every so often when the search for celestial warriors becomes too hectic or when chaos is brewing in the countries, a young woman appears and sheds light to the situation or so the legend says."  
  
"Look, Taiitsu-kun, you're making this all sound so important and mystical when it's really not. Some chick is inhabited by the gods and used to help them get their point across. You have to do exactly what they tell you voluntarily or they will take control of your body and force you to do it anyway. They can travel in and out of your mind at their will and you won't know. They can also go through any part of your mind at any time they want and you can't do anything about it. End of story," Seppuka "explained." "Our job is unfortunately to assist you. Each one of us specializes in a god. Mine is Seiryuu."  
  
"I've got Suzaku," Katana said.  
  
"Mine's Byakko," Renee told me.  
  
"Genbu's my boy," Fae added.  
  
"Hold on a second. I have to have a little chat," I told them. 'Ok. . .how come nobody told me that I was basically just a dignified puppet?' I asked. 'If we did, would you have wanted the job?' Seiryuu countered. 'Do I really have a choice?' 'Well. . .no. I suppose not,' he answered. 'Is that all I need to know, o puppet masters?' 'Don't be mad at us, Yume!' Byakko cried. 'Yes, that is all although Seppuka put it rather bluntly,' Suzaku replied. 'Ask them about the box.' "What about that box?"  
  
"If at any time you need to invoke the power of a god or talk to them when they aren't in your mind, you can communicate with them using it. They can choose to ignore you if they feel it isn't important. It has other abilities but you don't need to know them now," Taiitsu-kun explained. "Anything else?"  
  
"Let me check." 'How come I don't get to know the rest?' I asked. 'It's not important now. I think that's all you need to know now,' Byakko answered. "Guess that's it."  
  
"Good. Let's get something to eat. Then we can get to know each other or whatever," Fae suggested.  
  
Taiitsu-kun led the way to the dining area where the others were already waiting. I was greeted with the looks of distrust and curiosity that I was beginning to get accustomed to. It was the strange voices in my head and new hair color that were still giving me problems. 'Mmm. . .food. It looks so good,' Byakko mumbled. 'I know. It's been a while since we last ate. But watching my priestess eat, I doubt there will be much left soon,' Suzaku agreed. 'Ew. How can she call herself a lady?' Byakko remarked. 'I don't know, but we could take turns controlling her and eating whatever we want,' Seiryuu suggested. 'Sounds like a plan!' I felt my lower neck grow warm again and watched myself reach toward some strange food that I had been afraid to try.  
  
"What are you doing, Yume? You never eat that," Tasuki asked.  
  
"Be quiet stupid mortal. How dare you question what I eat? I want this," I heard myself say. The warmth left as the food was consumed. I coughed. "I'm sorry Tasuki! That wasn't me. Honest." 'You need to stop, Suzaku! You're going to jeopardize my already touchy relationship with Tasuki! I'm lucky they haven't asked me about Nakago yet.' 'Oh. . .someone has a crush on Tasuki,' Byakko teased. I blushed. 'I do not!' 'Stop lying. We're in your head. We know what you're thinking.'  
  
The others stared at me strangely as I engaged in a mind battle that ended in me blushing some more. "What's she doing?" Tamahome asked, eying me suspiciously.  
  
"Fighting with herself," Fae answered, looking amused.  
  
"With herself? What do you mean? We all knew Yume was strange but to fight with herself. . .that's weird even for her," Miaka questioned.  
  
"She's got some guests upstairs and they're obviously saying or suggesting things that she doesn't approve of. She'll get over it, don't worry," Katana responded.  
  
'We could just tell Tasuki how you feel. I bet it'd make him feel a lot better,' Seiryuu offered, joining in the "fun." 'NO! I already blew my chances with him. Besides, don't I have to be "pure" or something like Miaka?' I heard them burst out laughing in my head. Even Genbu was exploding with laughter. "STOP LAUGHING!!!" I yelled. Everyone looked at me with even weirder looks. "Did I just say that out loud?" They nodded. "I think I'm going to bed now. I need sleep." 'Nice job, Yume,' Byakko teased. 'Shut up.'  
  
"Good idea. Nyan-nyan, show her to her room," Taiitsu-kun ordered. I was pulled to my feet by the strange little girl and felt the stares of the group on my back as I took the walk of shame out of the dining area.  
  
I was left in a nice room with my bag and Shiriko. It was bigger than my room at Konan but not as nice. 'Don't be so ungrateful,' Seiryuu scolded. 'Are you guys going to leave. I have to get changed and. . .' I let that one hang open. 'Party pooper,' Byakko called me. 'Fine, be that way. We'll leave but we'll be back in the morning or maybe in your dreams. . .' Suzaku responded. 'Oh, and for future reference, you don't have to be "pure." What fun would there be in that?' Byakko told me. Before I could respond, I felt something leave my mind. I felt alone. "Well, Shiriko, I guess it's just you and me again," I said. I changed into my pajamas and was just about to call it a night when there was a knock at my door. "Now what?"  
  
I opened the door to find Chichiri standing there, mask off, looking a little distressed as though he wasn't sure he should be here. "Sorry to intrude but I wanted to talk to you before tomorrow morning," he greeted.  
  
"Fine. Come on in." I sat on my bed. "What?"  
  
"I wanted to apologize for the way everyone treated you when we found you in the forest. You might not believe it, but we were all really worried about you. It was just we met up with a member of the Seiryuu seven who told us you were working for Nakago and then we you showed up with those girls and looking all weird. . .the reality of what he said just overwhelmed us," he explained. "We weren't sure how to act at that point. But we know what we have to do now. . ."  
  
"Don't worry about it. I expected no different. I betrayed your trust. Frankly, what Tomo presented to me as reality was far worse than what you guys did. I only hope someday you will understand that I had no choice in the matter. It was that or. . ."  
  
"I am sorry, though, Yume. I'm sorry for today and what will happen to you tomorrow. I only hope you can find it in your heart to understand why we have to do what we have to do," he responded quietly. "I'll let you sleep now, you know."  
  
He left leaving me to think about his words. 'Apologize to me? Why?' I wondered. 'Oh yea. Tomorrow will probably be when they question me and decide my fate. Exile, death, or absolute hatred? What awaits me next? You never know what's around the corner in Yume's World, the not so fun new theme park where life sucks and you can't do a thing about it.' I laid down on my bed and attempted to fall asleep. 'I just hope the gods stay out of my subconscious mind. That would be bad. Genbu would probably try to make Yume's World into a real place just to piss me off.'  
  
Author's Note: There you have it. I actually explained Yume's role in the world! That has got to be a first in this fic. Yay! Go me! As for the four girls, I chose the gods based on the personalities of that I was given. The only one who chose their god was Seppuka/neppy. Poor, poor Yume! I wonder what will happen to her tomorrow that would make Chichiri come by and apologize to her on behalf of everyone? And what about the gods? Will that work out? And what exactly did Byakko mean by his little quote about being pure? Hehe. I've asked enough questions for you. I'll give you the quote now. . .  
  
I felt like a convict standing in the gas chamber, when all the people whose lives you ruined are standing around, jeering at you, thinking how great it will be when the gas is administered and your life ends. Justice. That's what it is to them. Sick, Hammurabi justice. Though I must say, right about now, the gas sounds pretty darn good compared to this.  
  
Yea, weird quote, I know. But I like it. Oh, for all of you people who don't know who Hammurabi is, he's the Babylonian king who did the infamous "eye for an eye" rule. But he's important because he made the first major body of laws (I just wrote a thematic essay on him so I do know something) and had them displayed on pillars all around his kingdom. I doubt you care but that's pretty important. Anyway, that's it for now. Oh wait. . .one last thing. It's getting towards the end of the school year and all my teachers are assigning craploads of homework so updates won't always be as frequent as I would like. I'll try to get one or two a month, maybe three, but no more if you want the quality of my writing to stay good. That's all (for real this time).  
  
~Smack 


	26. The Interrogation from Hell

Disclaimer: Please see previous chapters as I am lazy and do not feel like putting up one every chapter.  
  
Thanks to. . .  
  
neppy: Yes, Byakko is the bomb. Hehe. Wait til this chapter.  
  
Songwind: I'm glad you understand my dilemma! On one hand, I want to update, that's fun but on the other I have to do homework. If teachers would just stop assigning homework, that would be different but that'll never happen. The gods might save her. I don't know. You decide.  
  
Otaku Pitcher: Thank you! I like to add a bit of comedy here and there because other wise this story would be sad and I don't want a sad story. They are no fun. The depressing chapters are good. I * personally * love the way this one turned out and it is kind of depressing too. But that's not the point. Thanks again for your understanding.  
  
miLady: That's ok but I must confess that I was beginning to wonder what happened to you. I was like 'Hmm . .miLady hasn't reviewed in a while. I wonder why?' and then I got your review so I now know. Yea, the gods are quite unusual. And as for the four girls, they are her reluctant assistants. (They are mainly there to support the plot and provide comic relief).  
  
o_O: I'm glad you like the story and Yume. She's a pretty cool character, if I do say so myself.  
  
Author's Notes: Thanks to all of you for your understanding (and reviews!). You guys rock! I hope I didn't take too long to get this chapter up. If I did, too bad because I think it's worth the wait. I love this chapter. ::nods:: Yup. But that's just me. o.O And we all know that I am a strange one. Anyway, I don't have much to say in this except that Yume's mouth gets a little out of control along with just about everything else in this chapter and this is possibly why I rated it PG-13. I mean, the quote I gave you from last chapter should have alluded to that. Well, I guess that's it. Enjoy.  
  
'. . .' dialogue in Yume's head.  
  
Chapter 26: The Interrogation from Hell  
  
I awoke later than I had done the entire time I was in this world. I even felt a little refreshed. I got dressed in some of the clothes I took from the palace and was beginning to think that today might be different. Maybe today will be a good day. 'But if it's going to be a good day, why do I have such a bad feeling in my stomach? Why would Chichiri apologize in advance if I have nothing to worry about?' I thought as I got dressed. In my clouded state of mind, I forgot to keep Shiriko in my room. He came with me as I descended the stairs to eat breakfast. "She finally awakens!" Fae exclaimed as I entered the room. "Are we going to have any more random outbursts?" I glared at her.  
  
"Somebody's still touchy," Seppuka mumbled, looking at my glare.  
  
I sat down at the end of the table by myself, Shiriko by my side. The table went silent. They were probably talking about what to do about me before I came in. I don't really give a shit anymore about what they think about me. Screw them. I didn't even feel much like eating but I knew I had to. The group began to murmur as I grabbed the food that was closest to me. I didn't think asking one of them to "pass the gravy" would go over to well right about now so I dealt with whatever was in reach. "Yume?" My eyes drifted over at Tamahome but I didn't bother to reply. "Once you finish eating, we have some questions for you."  
  
"I can't say I'm surprised. I don't care. Whatever," I responded dully.  
  
The group, minus Seppuka, Renee, Fae, and Katana, left the dining area as soon as the words were out of my mouth. 'Gee thanks guys. I love you too.' I finished what was on my plate and followed my escorts out of there. They led me to the room with the giant mirror that I had been taken to the night before. 'We're back! We thought you might want someone on your side,' Byakko announced. I almost smiled. 'Thanks you guys, but I thought I was just a tool?' 'You are but we have to protect you and get you through this or we'll be out of a tool,' he said cheerfully.  
  
We entered the room and I was told to take a seat but declined. I'd rather stand. Seppy, Fae, Katana, and Renee joined Taiitsu-kun behind everyone and I was alone. Well. . .I had Shiriko, who was sitting to the right of me, standing guard over me. 'My right hand man.' Everyone was lined up, staring at me. Chiriko was on the end, looking like he was about to cry. Mitsukake had his arm around him and was wearing an unreadable expression. Next to him was Tamahome, who was glaring at me. Miaka was just staring at me, like she had been betrayed. Chichiri was next to her and he wouldn't meet my gaze. I now understood why he had apologized last night. This was going to be hell. Tasuki was on the other end of the group, looking utterly disgusted. I felt like a convict standing in the gas chamber, when all the people whose lives you ruined are standing around, jeering at you, thinking how great it will be when the gas is administered and your life ends. Justice. That's what it is to them. Sick, Hammurabi justice. Though I must say, right about now, the gas sounds pretty darn good compared to this. Miaka nudged Tamahome and he cleared his throat nervously.  
  
"I'm sure by now you have some idea why you're here," he began. "Last night while we were out looking for you, we encountered a Seiryuu warrior. He informed us that he was there to reclaim you for Nakago although he decided it would be better just to kill you. When we asked him about it, he said you were a spy brought to this world by Nakago but you were revealed. I have to hear it from you, were you brought here as a spy be Nakago?"  
  
I took a deep breath. I knew this question would come eventually. I thought if I accepted this from the get go I would be prepared enough when the time came to answer it. Boy, was I wrong. "Yes." They gasped and either looked at me like I betrayed them completely or like they hated me. I heard a stifled sob come from Chiriko. Shiriko moved in front of me and showed his teeth. It was too much for me. I wasn't hurt, I was pissed. "And don't you look at me like I betrayed you. I didn't know you when this whole thing started. It was either work for Nakago and spy on some girl I didn't know or sit back and watch my best friend die and then wind up murdered myself. I think I made the right choice and I don't for one-second regret it. I doubt there is one person among you who would have made a different selection if you were put in that situation." They just stared at me.  
  
"We may make the same decision as you but that does not mean that we can just let you get away with it. You still spied on us and that makes you a dangerous enemy. We can't just let you walk free," he replied icily.  
  
"What are you going to do? Murder me? Go ahead. I DARE you. Just try it. See how far you get," I said, glaring at him. "I didn't have a choice. If you feel that me being forced into spying on you for an enemy, only telling him things I knew he'd already know, risking my life in an attempt to save the very person I was supposed to be spying on and fighting along side of you is a valid reason to kill me, try it. You still don't know how I got away from Nakago. I quit, that's true, but my. . .method was quite effective." 'Yume. . .you're acting a little, well, over confident. You might want to tone it down a bit. Play the innocent little girl, the victim. Otherwise, you might not be able to get away,' Suzaku suggested. 'No, this is me. I'm sick of pretending to be something I'm not. This is stupid. I risk my life for these people and this is what I get. I'm through acting nice. They want to take me down, let them face the real me and let's see who wins.'  
  
"We're not going to kill you. The truth is you have no proof to validate your words. We don't know that you're life was threatened. You could have made the decision on your own, for all we know. This could all be part of some plot to get yourself out of trouble," Mitsukake replied.  
  
'Care for some assistance?' Byakko asked. 'One second.' "Can I fake this?" I questioned. 'Now Byakko.' A semi-familiar sensation like I was being put into the background of my own body took hold and the scar of Byakko's symbol began to glow. "I will prove to you that Yume is not lying about this and that it is not part of some psychotic plot to get herself out of trouble. I'm in her mind. I would know if she was plotting something," I heard myself say.  
  
"What do you mean 'you're in her mind'? Who are you?" Tasuki asked him.  
  
I saw myself crack a grin. "Me? I am no one you need to worry about. Not now anyway. Perhaps later on, but for now, I am here to help Yume as she is here to help me," he answered. 'A wee bit cocky, are we?' 'Just a bit, but that's Byakko for you,' Seiryuu laughed. "Observe the mirror and watch a glimpse of Yume's memories from the day she was forced to come here." My hand waved and, like an excerpt of a movie, my memories played on the giant mirror. It was shown as though there were someone standing there, filming the entire thing in third person. It started as Shiriko took off and I was dragged along the ground. The group watched intently as I was cornered and Shiriko was frozen. They even heard my thoughts. It was even more disturbing as I watched it happen to me. The group regarded the screen attentively and experienced my fear, uncertainty, and anger as I was threatened and forced to come. The "show" ended as I was transported here and was knocked unconscious from the fall. Byakko gave me back control of my body and I looked at them for responses. 'Thank you, Byakko.' 'No problem, kid.' "I told you I didn't have a choice."  
  
"Yume. . .we had no idea," Miaka started.  
  
"Save it. I didn't expect anything else from you. Now what memory of me do you want to see? Do you want to see my fight with Nakago now? Or are you good in the memory department? What horror of my life do you want me to relive next?" I snapped.  
  
"Well, I for one want to know how you got away from Nakago in one piece," Tamahome said, curiously.  
  
"My original plan was to go ahead with what I came there to do. I'm sure Miaka told you what she was asked to do so I don't think I have to fill you in on the details of that," I explained. "But I couldn't go through with it. I tried to back down and was cornered. Never attack someone when they're cornered. In the end, I basically kicked his ass." They looked shocked. "I don't suppose you need proof on this one, too, do you? Please say you don't. That's one memory I'd rather not have to relive."  
  
"No, I think we need to see it. We don't know if you're lying or not so we could use some proof," Tamahome said. "Besides, it's not every day we hear about Nakago getting beat up. Even I have trouble with him."  
  
"Yea right. He'd kick your ass," I barked. "Unless, he fought fair against you. Not the way he fought with me." 'That's enough Yume. Let's just show them what happened and try to remain civil, please,' Suzaku chided. 'Let her have her fun,' Seiryuu commented. 'Please don't start at the beginning. I don't want to have to relive that. Please, just do that for me.' 'I'm doing it this time. If anyone is going to broadcast one of my warriors disgrace, I will,' Seiryuu said, taking control.  
  
"Now warriors," he used my voice to say. "Where would you like to start?"  
  
"I, for one, would like to see what happened from the moment she entered the camp," Tamahome told them, smirking contentedly at me. I know he's just doing this because I said I didn't want to relive it and that pissed me off.  
  
"Suit yourself. I warn you, some of you may be. . .offended by this particular memory. I advise you to take the little one out," Seiryuu suggested. "He shouldn't have to see or hear this." Katana escorted Chiriko out of the room and Seiryuu waved my hand. The mirror showed me entering the camp. My doubts and fears were all that was heard in the room as I watched myself enter the tent. I relived everything as if it were happening around me, once more feeling the fear and powerlessness. It consumed my entire being as I saw Nakago kissing me. Then, I saw what occurred the moment I "lost touch with" reality. The bracelets were what threw him off. My voice sounded icy, evil, powerful, as I taunted him. I felt a slight bit of satisfaction while watching my "work." Seeing myself beat up Nakago after all he put me through seemed like justice to me. I was happy doing it. The group looked awed by my sheer power and control. I could have killed him, but I didn't. I still don't know why I chose not to at that moment. It would have made things so much easier for me. For one thing, I wouldn't be standing here right now. Self control. Is it really so great? The memory stopped as I left the tent, cursing the unconscious form of Nakago. "Is that proof enough, mortals? Do you believe Yume now?"  
  
They just gaped at me. Fear is what I saw reflected in their faces. Even Seppy looked at me with an air of reverence. I wasn't sure why, but I liked this. I liked being in control. . .being feared for once instead of being the one in fear. It felt good. Seiryuu went back to the recesses of my mind and I was in charge again. "What are you all looking at? Don't tell me you're surprised that I took down Nakago when I was paralyzed when your hero Tamahome barely made it out alive against a water-downed version? You didn't. . .underestimate me, did you?" I sneered. They just stared and backed up a bit. "Don't worry, I understand your lack of faith in me. As you heard, I didn't have much faith in myself at the time, either. I'm not going to attack you if that's what you're thinking so you can stop staring at me like I'm a time bomb waiting to explode."  
  
"Like a what?" Chichiri asked.  
  
"Never mind. I suppose you wouldn't know what a time bomb is. Figures. Stupid people. Ay," I mumbled. "The point is I can't attack you. I. . .don't have permission to attack you or else I'd probably be considering it right about now."  
  
"Permission? What do you mean you don't have permission?" Tasuki questioned.  
  
"I am the Oracle. Killing you would violate my role and make my masters upset. Such a thing I do not wish to do," I said in a misty voice.  
  
"You have masters? Since when?" He looked at me strangely.  
  
"See the hair? The scars? They aren't there for just for the hell of it. The scars are the brands that tie me to them. This is Genbu's," I said, pointing to the one on my forehead. "This one belongs to Byakko." I pointed to the back of my left hand. "This one is Seiryuu's." I pointed to my right hand. "I'm not showing you Suzaku's but it's here." I pointed to my lower chest, right above my. . .you know. "Are we done here?"  
  
"Wait. . .you're the Oracle? What do they do and why are you it?" Tamahome exclaimed.  
  
"Delayed reaction there, buddy," I said under my breath. "We are tools for the gods. Our sole existence is for the good of the gods. We do as instructed and are here to help them get their point across," I explained. "And as for why I was chosen, your guess is as good as mine. I have a hunch that it might have something to do with the fact that three of the four gods think I'm hot but I'm not sure." The gods grumbled in my head. 'Yup, you caught us, Yume. We're that shallow. You got us all figured out,' Byakko responded. 'I know.' The group just looked at me kind of strangely. "What? They said so when I met them. Why is that so hard to believe? You can't all think I'm that ugly. Not that it matters to me what you think, it's just strange to me."  
  
"No. . .we don't all think you're ugly it's just odd to think that you can possibly have all the gods in your head. I mean, how is that possible?" Chichiri asked me.  
  
"Let's just say I have an immense mind," I replied smiling. "The gods like me. I can't help it. Well, Genbu says he hates me but I know deep down he really cares." 'I do not,' Genbu grumbled. 'You so do. I can tell.' "But are we all caught up? Can I get on with my new life? I have a lot to do and little time to do it in."  
  
"The warriors and priestess should depart to retrieve the second Shinzaho soon. We need to find it before Nakago does," Taiitsu-kun interrupted. "I will send you after lunch. For now, get ready to leave. However, it might be in your best interest to leave Yume alone. She will be staying here while you travel. She has much to learn before she will be ready for her role in all of us. Go. Now. Leave."  
  
"Fine." Everyone, including my assistants and Taiitsu-kun, left the room, leaving me alone with Shiriko. I remained there, wishing to recap on all that happened in this room in the past hour or two in peace. It was then I realized Tasuki hadn't left. He had stayed behind. 'Maybe this is my chance to make up for before. Maybe he still cares.'  
  
"Tasuki, about before when you. . ."  
  
"Save it. I don't want to hear your excuses," he said harshly.  
  
"I wasn't going to give you an excuse. I was going to apologize! I couldn't say what I felt then! You don't understand all that was going through my head when you told me how your feelings! I was so happy but at the same time, scared. I couldn't tell you the truth. You have no idea how badly I wanted to, trust me. It took all I had to say those harsh things to you. It tore me up inside. I didn't want to end up hurting you in the end," I cried. "But I hurt you anyway and I'm sorry. I hope someday you'll be able to forgive me and understand." I left the room, Shiriko trailing behind me.  
  
After lunch, the group left. Tasuki wouldn't talk to me and neither would anyone else. I didn't care. When the time comes for me to save all their asses, then we'll see. They'll all see. "What do we have to do, first?" I asked Taiitsu-kun after the departed.  
  
Author's Note: Wow that was a long chapter. And if you thought the characters were a little out of control, just remember what's going on. This is an interrogation, not a friendly little Q and A game. You have to remember that. I wrote this whole chapter over again so be thankful to Smack. It took her a long time to write this (especially off the top of her head) but she took the time to do it for you. So I hope you appreciate it. I'm not sure why, but I really like the way this chapter turned out. You can agree or disagree, that's your choice, but I think it came out great. So, I guess that's it. Here's you quote and goodbye.  
  
"That orange-haired guy, Tasuki I think his name was, and you seem to have this tension between you. Were you two, you know, involved, by any chance?"  
  
Haha. So long for now!  
  
~Smack 


	27. The Little Pebble that Could

Disclaimer: I do not own Fushigi Yuugi, nor do I claim to. Thanks to... neppy: Comic book guy? Lol. Yea, I got a version that I liked. Otaku Pitcher: I'm glad you liked the chapter. :) The gods...I'll just agree with you. They are quite the characters. (Even though you don't know the half of it. They haven't even begun to mess around in her life, let's just put it that way. ^_~) The four girls are going to be explained in the author's note. O__O: That's ok if the review is short. The point is that you took the time to write one. Songwind: I'm glad someone can see both sides of the story. In the world today (not just in my story, I'm trying to make a connection to the real world for once) not too many people can see both sides. And no, I don't think Nuriko will ever be in her head, although that is an idea I hadn't considered before. Fyfangirl26: Genbu is great, I have to agree. Yume is a pretty cool person but in answer to your question, while some things betweens us our similar, (our birthdays and her location, for example), she's not completely based off of me. All of my deranged original characters are in some way based off of part of me but never completely off me. I did manage to survive until the end of school, somehow. Chibificgrl_100: Thanks! Author's Note: Wahoo! I survived the evil thing known as school (now summer, that could be a problem). I took my last Regents yesterday so I'm pretty much free from now through September. For those of you who don't know what the Regents are or don't have to take them, they are New York State's way of laughing at all the kids in school and torturing them with the thought of an impossibly hard test (although it wasn't really as hard as I expected) and the knowledge that if they fail it, they have to repeat the course next year regardless of their averages. Not fun things. Anyway, that's all done and over with so I can do the real author's note now. About the girls...I'm sure I've said this at least five or six times in the actual chapters but people are still confused so I'll say it again: they are there to assist Yume because their bosses (the gods) told them to. If you want more info on who they each specialize in, reread chapter twenty-five, about halfway through the chapter when Seppuka takes over and bluntly tells Yume what her job is. If you're still confused...well, I'll try my best to explain it when I do the "thanks to..." for the next chapter. I think that's all I have to say in this unusually long author's note. Chapter 27: The Little Pebble that Could (Training Day #1) "We'll start with something easy," Taiitsu-kun decided. I stood there waiting for her to continue. 'Ok, something easy. Something easy. What is she talking about?' "Seppuka? Throw a pot at Yume." 'Throw a pot?!' 'Yume! Watch out!' Byakko warned. I spun around and was smacked on the forehead by a clay pot. "OW!!! What was that for?" I exclaimed, rubbing my sore forehead and glaring at the old hag. "Telekinesis practice. You used the ability before on Nakago so I hoped the lack of reaction time would help you tap into your already open power, or at least I hoped your instincts would kick in," Taiitsu-kun explained irritably. "It probably would have worked if your mind was just yours again. Oh well. I suppose we have more work to do than I thought." 'Tell her we'll leave if it will help you. The sooner you master your powers, the sooner you are useful to us,' Suzaku ordered. "They said that they would leave if it will help me," I told Taiitsu-kun and the four girls. "Good." I felt my mind empty of the gods. I was alone again. "Seppuka, again but make sure she can see it this time." A rock came hurtling towards my head. 'I don't wanna get hit in the head again. It hurts. . .' I put my hand up to deflect the blow and shut my eyes, waiting. It never came. I opened one of my eyes, then, slowly, the other. The rock was floating about an inch from my forehead. My hand wouldn't have done a thing! "That wasn't exactly what I was expecting but good job anyway," Taiitsu-kun "congratulated." "Huh?" I turned around and the rock hit the back of my head. "What was that?" "Somehow you managed to stop the rock from moving and once you got distracted, it went back to normal," Taiitsu-kun informed me. "As fun as it is to throw rocks at this wannabe, maybe we should start with nonmoving objects. That way, she'll learn concentration and there won't be as great of a chance of her getting knocked unconscious or losing anymore of those precious few brain cells she possesses," Seppuka suggested. "Perhaps you are right. Her instincts did kick in so it should be easier for her now," Taiitsu-kun replied. "Ok, Yume. I want you to sit over here. We'll start with something small at first." I sat down where she indicated and she put a round pebble on the table. "You see this pebble? ('No, no I don't. What are you talking about? There's no pebble on this table. Where is it?') I want you to focus completely on this pebble. Put all of your energy into the pebble. Then, make the pebble move. I have other things to take care of so I'll leave you with Fae and Seppuka. They should be able to take care of you. Once you accomplish this, they'll tell me and we'll move on." Taiitsu-kun, Renee, and Katana left, leaving me alone with the mean ones. "You better get concentrating. There's no telling how long this could take," Seppuka instructed. So I sat there, staring at a little pebble. It was hard for me to keep my mind on the rock at first. It kept drifting off to how stupid this was or made me think about Tasuki. I mean...how could he ignore me like that? It wasn't my fault. Well, it was a little. But not really. Nope. It was all Nakago's fault. Stupid, stupid Nakago. 'NO! I have to do this first. Then I can figure out whose fault this mess is.' I concentrated entirely on the pebble. There was nothing in my world but this small, gray, rounded rock. I attempted to force all my energy into it. I took in every detail. 'Now then...let's move, shall we?' I tried to push the stone with my mind. It shook a little. 'Rise, pebble, rise!' It started to rise, shaking a bit, into the air, almost like a little kid taking its first step. Then, with a little more bravery, it rose confidently until it was about a foot in the air, hovering. 'Let's have some fun. Go to where and Fae are and get in between them. Then, move back and forth in front of Seppuka's head.' The little pebble started to move towards Seppuka, who was sitting and talking to Fae, oblivious of what was going on. I turned with the rock so I wouldn't lose contact. 'Go little pebble! Go!' It moved in front of Seppuka and waved, taking both her and Fae by surprise. "Nice trick. Now, can you make it land?" Fae asked, smirking. 'Ok, Mr. Pebble, time to land. Back where you came from.' It sped off towards the other side of the room and landed. "Guess so. Now what?" "Now we call Taiitsu-kun, tell her we're done, and we get taken off babysitting," Seppuka answered. "What do you mean 'babysitting'? I'm not a baby!" I yelled. "To us you are. How old are you? Fifteen?" she questioned. "Yea about that. But that doesn't make me a baby!" I exclaimed. "How old are you two then?" "Seppy's nineteen and I'm seventeen," Fae answered for her. "That's not much older than me!" "But you have done nothing to earn our respect so you're still a baby to us," Seppuka responded. Taiitsu-kun chose this moment to check up on us. "Has she completed the task?" she inquired upon entering. "Yea, she moved it. But it was just a little pebble. Anyone could have done it. It doesn't prove _anything_," Seppuka replied. Taiitsu-kun opted to ignore that comment and continued as though it was never said. "I think we'll take a break from your training so you can regain your strength. You didn't eat much at lunch so you can have a small snack before we continue." So we walked off to get me a snack. I could help but wonder about Shiriko. As far as I knew, he was still here. Somewhere. "Has anyone been taking care of my dog? He was with me when we started my training but he's not here now," I questioned, looking around. "Renee took him back to your room and fed him. No one has been able to get close enough to even attempt to get a leash on him so he hasn't been walked," Taiitsu-kun answered. 'That's my boy,' I thought, smiling to myself. "Can I walk him before we resume my training?" "No." I frowned. "You must continue your training. We don't have time for you to waste walking a pet. Nakago's forces grow stronger by the minute and at the rate you're going, all you'll be able to do is fling a pebble at his head. Your celestial duty is more important than your duty to your pet," Taiitsu-kun replied. I had my small snack in silence after that. I liked eating with Miaka and them much more than eating with Taiitsu-kun and the girls. As much as I hated to admit it, I missed them already, even Tamahome. I wanted to try and apologize to Tasuki again but he didn't give me the chance. He had been avoiding me since their little version of the Inquisition. 'Gee, I wonder why. The man confesses his feeling for you and you slap him down like he means nothing,' the old voice of my mind said. 'Well, he doesn't. Not that way. He's just a friend.' 'Yea, uh-huh. Sure,' it responded. 'Great, even my mind doesn't believe me anymore.' "YUME!" "Huh? Wait, what?" I jerked up in surprise. The whole table was looking at me. Seppuka was snickering. "It's about time you respond. I had been calling your name for at least five minutes," Taiitsu-kun scolded. "Sorry, I was thinking. What were you saying?" I apologized. "Humph. Are you finished resting? We need to continue your training," she repeated. "Uhh...yea but what do I have to work on now?" "You are to continue working on moving things with your mind until it is time for dinner. Then you are free to do whatever you want for the rest of the night. We start something new tomorrow," she answered. Thus, for the next few hours, none other than Fae and Seppuka drilled me in my telekinesis. Seppuka didn't want to talk to me much, not that I minded terribly. Talking to someone who not only had a bet going on whether or not I'd pass the test but also was betting that I'd become a prisoner of my own mind did not strike me as something I really wanted to do. I was doing pretty well. It wasn't taking as much thought and concentration to move stuff now. I was up to stopping moving objects in mid air in no time at all. My mind did begin to wander after a while though. I wondered how the others were doing. I hated thinking that Tasuki hated me, not that I didn't blame him or anything. If I were him, I'd hate me too. 'It isn't like I really care. I just don't like it when people don't like me for things out of my control,' I told myself. 'Yup, you just keep telling yourself that,' a familiar voice chided 'Byakko! You're back!' 'Yea but I can't stay. Suzaku wanted me to tell you to keep concentrating. We can't use you until you are able to protect yourself. Use your confusion for you, not against you,' he instructed. 'That's easy for you to say. You're not the one who has been staring at rocks all day.' 'Nope but you still have to do it.' I sighed and made the pebble that had just been chucked at me float back to Fae with a mere wave of my hand. 'Use it for me. Ok, I'll do my best.' 'That's my girl. It's almost time for dinner. Good luck,' he said before vanishing from my mind. "Hey youngin'! Ready to call it a night?" Seppuka asked. "Sure," I replied. My mind was tired even though I had only been concentrating half my energy into what I had been doing. Dinner passed with little talking on my part. I was told that I'd be working on levitation tomorrow and that I was to rest up because it required even more energy than telekinesis. I was dismissed after that. I knew Shiriko needed a walk but I just didn't have the will for it. I wandered back to my room where Shiriko was waiting expectantly. He bounded up to see me, the extra energy seemingly pouring out of him. 'He needs a walk or I'll never get to sleep,' I thought as I watched him bound around the room. Just seeing him do all that was making me tired. "Ok, Shiriko. I'll take you for a walk." 'Now if I just knew where I was going,' I commented as we walked through the enormous palace. It was getting dark and I had no clue where I was heading. Shiriko was prancing around me; he needed to run. "The garden is this way. He should be able to run there," a kind female voice told me. "Thanks. Renee, right?" I responded. "Yea. I'll take you there," she offered. She walked towards me but Shiriko got in her way. "This is what happened before. He wouldn't let anyone near him." I patter his head. "It's ok, boy. She won't hurt us." He backed off but gave her his "I'm watching you" look. "You have to excuse him. He's very protective over me. We have had our fair share of bad experiences here." "I understand." We walked the rest of the way in silence. Once we reached the garden, Shiriko took off. "Can I ask you something?" "Sure. Ask away," I replied. 'Now what?' "That orange-haired guy, Tasuki I think his name was, and you seem to have this tension between you. Were you two, you know, involved, by any chance?" she asked. I had to come up with a convincing lie quick. I don't need my personal life being public knowledge. "No, he just took the whole spy thing a little harder than the others. He's more sensitive to that type of thing," I lied. I could tell she didn't believe me. "Well, in that case, I'm going to go for him. I thought he was pretty hot but I didn't want to try anything if he was yours." She was watching my face, waiting for my response. "Go for it. Do what you want. I wish you luck," I replied. "Shiriko! Come on back!" Appearing out of seemingly nowhere, he rushed forward out of the darkness and sat at my feet. "Well, goodnight. Nice talking to you." "Goodnight, Yume." I managed to find my way back to my room with no guide except for Shiriko and changed into my pajamas. 'I wish there was a way I could see how they are doing out there or at least say goodnight and I'm sorry to Tasuki,' I sighed. 'There is a way. I can tell him for you,' Suzaku offered. 'Please.' 'I'll try.' About ten minutes went by before he responded. 'I...couldn't get through,' he told me. I could tell that he was hiding from something but I didn't know what. 'Don't worry your mind over it. Go to sleep,' Seiryuu instructed. 'Fine...goodnight...' Author's Note: What could Suzaku be hiding from Yume? For once, you won't have to wait too long for an answer. It's explained in the next chapter. I hate to say this, but there really isn't that much left for Wishful Thinking, maybe thirteen chapters at the most. Well, there is going to be a sequel but still, the first is almost over. It's been fun. You guys were/are great. Umm. . .I guess that's it. Please review. ::hopeful look:: All I need is two more and I'll finally have a hundred. Besides, I'm giving you two bonus things: a quote and a poll. You cannot resist the poll. . . ::sweat drop:: Ok, here's your quote. "I'm over her. She has an excuse for everything and I'm sick of it. She can't even apologize to me herself!" Uh-oh! What could be happening? I'll talk to you all in the next chapter. Until then, goodbye! ~Smack Oh yea. . .the poll. . . POLL:  
Who do you think Yume will end up with?  
a.) Tasuki  
b.) Byakko  
c.) Nakago  
d.) Suzaku  
Now, let me know what you think will happen in the reviews and then, when it's all said and done, you can be like: "Hey! I was right!" or "Wow, was I wrong!" Just remember, I am including the sequel in this poll. I know that's evil but deal. Just try and imagine what plot twists I could include in it. None of the choices are farfetched, whether you believe it or not. Anyway, make a good guess. *****Note: The results of this poll have no effect whatsoever on the ending of this story or its sequel. I know, in my mind, which one Yume will end up with. This is merely a test to see if I'm fooling. . .er. . .doing a good job on my construction of plot twists. **


	28. Acceptance is a Virtue

Disclaimer: I don't claim to own Fushigi Yuugi. Thanks to... neppy: Yes. Tasuki is being mean. And no, you shouldn't vote. You know the answer. Metajoker: Yea, I'm working on going through the beginning chapters and editing them but I haven't gotten around to finishing all of them. And could you explain what you mean by 'paragraphing?' The story had paragraphs last time I checked. Fyfangirl26: Thank you so much for saying I deserve 100 reviews! That makes me feel really good that someone cares! And thank you for voting! Yea, Jean Grey is definitely cool but I was always a Wolverine fan. I don't know why... Chibificgrl_100: I don't think Renee could if she tried. Yume doesn't seem to care. Oh, the question about what Suzaku is hiding from Yume is actually answered in this chapter so your patience is paid off. AquaRose: Carbonated? Lol, thanks. :) I will have to read your story. I've been really busy the last few weeks so I'll get around to it. Promise. And you're not the only one who will cry if Tasuki doesn't end up with Yume. I'm sure other reviewers will, too. Otaku Pitcher: Ok, you really confuse me sometimes. First you say I don't go into her feelings that much and then now I do? The last chapter wasn't really her mooning over Tasuki. She's just one of those people who can't stand when others are mad at them. That's what that was about. And I couldn't just have her be at peace with her mind in an instant. She's been through a lot the last few days. And you're the only one who considered the other people and my warnings. For that, and your review, I thank you. But why not Nakago? miLady: Yea, I know it was harsh but it had to be. And I only said they were her assistants, not that they were happy about it. I mean, think for a minute. Put yourself in their shoes. Here they are, all happy not working for anyone but the gods and then, all of a sudden, some youngin' pops into the world who knows a lot less than they do and they're ordered to work for her. I wouldn't be happy about it either. But I understand what you mean. Author's Note: Thanks to all of you who participated in the poll! I must say, I found the results very pleasing. In fact the results, well except for one of them, were exactly what I expected! (In other words, most of you voted for Tasuki.) I can't say I'm surprised, that's who I would have voted for. That doesn't mean you were right and it doesn't mean you are wrong. It means...wait and find out. This chapter switches point of view once but it's clearly stated. So it shouldn't confuse anyone. I guess that's all I have to say except that I kind of like the way this chapter turned out. Chapter 28: Acceptance is a Virtue _(POV= third person) "Hey, kid!" a voice called into a room where an orange-haired youth was apparently getting ready to go to sleep. "What the-? Who said that?" the youth asked, looking around the empty room he was sharing with his friend, who was asleep on the next bed. "It's me, you're god. Man, don't you people know anything? Who else would be using a disembodied voice to talk to you?" the first voice replied. "How is that possible? You haven't been summoned yet!" "Don't concern yourself with that. We have a message for you from Yume," a second voice told him. "She wanted us to tell you good-night and that she's sorry. She didn't mean to hurt you before." "She's got a fine way of showing it, sending gods to tell me for her. Tell Yume that her apology is not accepted. She has an excuse for everything and I'm sick of it," the youth ordered, sounding angry. "Tell her yourself!" the second voice snapped. "You make me sick. She's been through hell the last few days and all you can do is think about yourself. We can all tell that you still care for her so why are you so hard on her? She's trying her best, can't you see that?" "Why am **I** so hard on **her**?! You're the ones in her mind. How would you feel if she said those things to you? Why should I believe anything she says anymore? This could all be one of her tricks," the youth answered, sounding more than a little angry and hurt. "And don't even say that you'd trust her because you believe she must have had a good reason." "No, he'd probably be mad like you but I know he'd give her a chance to explain once he calmed down," the first voice said, rejoining the conversation. "And so would I. If you really care about someone, that's what you do." "You're gods! What do you know about love?" "I know that everyone, whether they like to admit it or not, experiences love, and everything that goes with it, at least once in their lifetimes. I know that when you love someone, and I mean truly love someone, you don't just cast them aside at the first sign of imperfection, you accept it because believe it or not, nobody is perfect. People make mistakes and if you care at all about the person, you let them explain themselves. I know that love can consume your entire being, that every moment you are away from your love you think about them and that when you see them, all your problems seem unimportant in comparison to their well being. I know that love can be blind and that sometimes, no matter what you do, love can be unrequited. Sometimes, the one you love cares for someone else and that that can hurt more than anything else in the world," the second voice retorted, saying the last piece with a tone so bitter and wistful it was sadly apparent that he had experienced such feelings. But he recovered quickly and continued as though it never occurred. "Yea, I am a god and as a god, I've had the chance to fall in love more times than I'd like to admit. I've had the opportunity to see you mortals laugh and cry, live and die, love and hate but it disintegrates into the big picture, the tapestry that is life. Love happens. Don't shrug it off like it's nothing and don't run from it. If you love Yume, forgive her, before it's too late, before someone else comes along and she realizes what an ass you are. If you really don't care for her, then leave her alone and let her get over you in peace." The god fell silent and the youth stood there considering. "But...I don't even know if Yume cares about me. It's all easy for you to say, you're in her mind, and I'm not. I don't know what to do," the youth finally spoke up. "We don't have anymore time to convince you. Think about what he said. Yume is expecting a response and she should be sleeping now in preparation for tomorrow. Just consider this: If Yume didn't care, why would she ask us to try and talk to you and tell that she's sorry?" the first voice asked. "I don't know...but, I'll think about it," the youth told them. "Good."_ ~*~ (Yume's POV, in other words, normal) I awoke with a start. I had heard the distant echoing of voices in my mind but was unable to tell who was speaking. I rolled over and closed my eyes, attempting to go back to sleep. "Yume! Yume, wake up! It is time to resume your training!" I felt someone shaking me but it felt so distant, all that mattered was going back to sleep. "Just five more minutes, mommy," I mumbled, covering my head with the blanket, keeping my eyes closed. "I AM MOST CERTAINLY NOT YOUR MOTHER AND YOU BETTER GET UP NOW OR YOU WON'T BE ALLOWED TO EAT BREAKFAST!" the voice yelled. That got me up. For one, it was right next to my ear and plus, I was hungry. "Ok, ok. Can you give me a second to get changed?" I asked, removing the covers from my face, revealing a very angry Taiitsu-kun. "Very well, but hurry up. Today's lesson will probably take the entire day," she replied, leaving the room. 'Guess that's our cue to exit right?' Byakko asked. Something in the back of my mind clicked. I made a connection but lost it in an instant. 'Yea...I guess you should leave,' I said, my mind only half on making a response. 'We'll be back later. Just try and concentrate on your lessons today, ok?' Suzaku declared. 'All right.' They left my mind and I got out of bed, absent-mindedly heading towards my bag to get dressed in the only clothes that were actually mine. I arrived in the dining room to find everyone waiting for me. "Took you long enough," Seppuka commented. "And what _are_ you wearing?" "Clothes from my world. I'm sick of wearing other people's stuff," I answered, sitting down. I grabbed some food and started eating, trying to avoid further conversation. I had made a connection, I know I did, but I don't remember what it was! "Katana and Renee will be working with you on levitation today after breakfast. You will train until lunch and then you will be allowed an hour break before continuing your training," Taiitsu-kun informed me. "Uh-huh. Sure..." I replied dully, looking down at the food on my plate. "What's with her today?" Fae asked, ignoring the fact that I was sitting directly in front of her. "Leave her alone. She is obviously troubled by something this morning. She'll get over it. Besides, I would think that you would appreciate her not talking much," Taiitsu-kun ordered. "Fine. Whatever. She'll never be able to levitate with her mind as clouded as it is. Come on Seppuka. Let's go." Fae and Seppuka got up and left the room. "Are you done there? We could use all the time we have to get you to master this," Renee asked me. "Oh yea. Sure." I gave my plate one last look and decided there was nothing left on it that I wanted to eat before getting up and following Renee and Katana out of the room. Katana led the way to an area outside of the palace where three pillow mat things were on the ground. "To soften the fall," Renee told me when she saw me staring at them. "Take off your shoes before sitting down," Katana instructed. I did as was told and sat on the center mat. "The first step in learning to levitate is to clear your mind of all thoughts. Fae was right, someone with a clouded mind will never be able to achieve the harmonious state of the mind that is required in this task." She sat down to the left of me and Renee sat on the right. "There are several ways to do this. One is to meditate. Most people find this easier than the other options. I assume that is the one you will choose?" "Yes. That will work fine," I answered. "I just have one question: if you need to be in harmony in your mind, how was I able to hover before? My mind was a mess the last time." "No, it wasn't. Judging by the projection you showed us during your interrogation yesterday, you were only feeling one emotion: hate. Though it was a negative emotion, it was still the sole thought in your mind. Now use this time to get your mind in order. You have until the lunch break. Go," Katana answered, closing her eyes. Renee did so as well so I decided to follow their example. I sat on the mat in my traditional meditation pose, eyes closed, trying to make sense of my world. My mind was a jumble of emotions, thoughts, and pieces. There was so much going on in my life the last few days. It was impossible to tell one thought apart from another. They were all interconnected in an intricate pattern so tightly I couldn't find a beginning or an end to it. I managed to trap myself into my mind for a more "hands on" approach but that wasn't much better. The usual blackness was filled with swirls of colors that I was guessing represented the current things going through my mind. I extended my hand to one of them and was immediately bombarded with a feeling of despair as Nuriko's death flashed before my eyes. I snatched my hand back as though it had been burned and vowed not to touch anymore of the color swirls. I wished that I had some sort of guide to all of this. There was no way I could make sense of this in a couple of hours without one. Directly after that thought was completed, a thin line of bluish green color left my head and flew off to join its comrades. I stared after it, confused, until I was dropped onto the ground. The blackness around me was illuminated and I was back in the valley. The colors were gone and instead, I saw the little girl version of myself. "Hey! You're back!" she exclaimed, her small face glowing with joy. "I'm so happy! The leprechaun man and his friends left me and I was starting to get lonely..." "Yea, I'm back," I replied, rubbing my sore bum. 'I really need some warning on these falls...' "I was wondering if you could help me again? I need to sort through my mind and I've having some problems doing it." "Umm...ok!" she answered still smiling. "So what good advice do you have for me this time? I need a thought or emotion to concentrate on so I can learn to fly," I told her. "Hmm...I don't know how to help you with that. I remember that there was once a time when things were really tough and you wrote this thingie and I think it concentrated on an emotion but I don't remember which one." She looked upset that she couldn't remember. "I guess all I can do is make you remember it and you'll have to figure it out but you're smart. You'll get it." She closed her eyes and I felt my mind being drawn back to a certain memory, one long since forgotten. _I open my eyes and I can't see,  
This world it no longer makes sense to me.  
Floating in this blackness, lost and alone,  
Wondering why I was forced into this throne.  
Stuck in a place I never wanted to be,  
Everything I thought I knew flows away from me.  
Why is it that I always have questions, never answers?  
This emptiness inside me grows like a cancer.  
Why do I always have to act so tough?  
I try my best but it's never enough.  
Why am I forced to act so fake?  
The real me's life this world would take.  
Sometimes I just want to run...to hide...  
To show the world just once what I really feel inside,  
But I know they'd never accept me the way I am,  
Forcing me to live my life as one big scam.  
So I live a life without a single answer  
Hey, life's a stage and I'm just a dancer._ I thought about the words, considering every analogy, every word. It described the situation at hand almost to the last detail. I remembered writing the poem a couple years ago, without being sure why I was writing it. It's strange how the past affects the future, or even tells you what will happen. A minor change of decision and your whole life can end up differently. Things that seem insignificant at the time can be the straw that determines a future event. But I still wasn't sure what this poem was supposed to tell me. It symbolizes so many things, I couldn't zero in on specific emotion. "Don't you remember anything?" I asked the girl, pleading her with my eyes. "Well...it had something to do with the last line..." she said. I thought about the last line for a second. "Acceptance," I blurted out. "I'm no longer in control of my life but I just have to deal with it. I have to take things as they come even if I don't agree with it and just try and make the best of it. I've been trying to achieve perfection and it can't be done. I have to accept my fate," I continued. The girl smiled and faded. I opened my eyes, feeling at peace with myself for the first time in a long time. Katana and Renee were watching me, smiling. Something was weird though. I remembered Katana being taller. I looked down and saw the pillow and my own shadow. I was no long sitting on the mat. I was no longer sitting on anything. "Did I do it?" "Yea, and just in time, too. It's lunchtime," Renee answered, grinning. "Do you feel better now?" Katana asked me. "Yea, as I matter of fact, I do." I zoomed off to lunch, still floating in the bliss of the moment. Author's Note: Yay! Yume can fly! I wish I could fly... ::grumbles:: Oh well. I hope the beginning gave you some insight into what happened last chapter when they "couldn't get through." I thought I should clarify that. Besides, I liked Byakko's little commentary about love. :) (Yea, if you didn't figure it out before, the first voice was Suzaku and the second was Byakko. I don't think I have to explain who the youth was, do I?) I rewrote most of this chapter, well, the beginning, so it might not be prefect, but prefect is impossible. I think that was the moral to this chapter. Well, that and that sometimes you just have to accept your fate. Wow...I actually had a semi-philosophical chapter! Go me! Yes! Oh yea, one of the later chapters is really philosophical so if you like that sort of thing, you'll get it. I like to pretend that I'm a philosopher so you have to bear with me sometimes. I guess that's it for this author's note. To all of you who participated in the poll, thank you again. I might make another one sometime. It was fun. But not now. So...until next time! ~Smack Oh, whoops. I almost forgot your quote. Silly me. "Oh, and for future reference: I am **not** your friend." 


	29. Decisions and Departures

Disclaimer: Do I ever claim to own Fushigi Yuugi? I don't think so. So why would I start now? Nor do I own Superman. I'm just using him as an example to a reviewer.  
  
Thanks to...  
  
neppy: Naw, Nep. I think I'll keep it this way. You know, I wish a certain someone (you know who that is) would listen to that advice. I happen to think it is very good advice for people. Lil Yume is pretty cool but I like someone more. Hehe. I love our web comic.  
  
Meepsies: Ok, first of all thanks for the thumbs up. ::gives it back:: Now, while I appreciate any and all feedback from my reviewers, I do not appreciate it when they criticize me on incorrect facts. Many of the things you had problems with in my story was due to your obvious lack of attentiveness while reading. I am not trying to be mean, just pointing something out. First of all, I'd like to inform you that Yume is far from invincible. She's mortal; therefore she can die just as easily as the next person. If you shoot her with a gun, she will die. She's not Superman. Second of all, have you ever been a fifteen-year-old girl? Your life is a soap opera. There are some days when your emotions are like that. It's due to unbalanced hormones. Remember health class? And, while the emotions are important, I don't think the story revolves around Yume's emotions. Oh, and where did Yu Watase define the personalities of the gods? She might have, I'm not claiming to be an expert on everything and anything to do with the show because I do have a life but I was never aware of her defining them. I do know that in several different author's notes, I said I would be making up the personalities of the gods. Go back and check if you don't believe me. Last time I checked, Yume was the main character of this story, which is why events seem to revolve around her. That's what I learned in English class my whole life: stories revolve around the main character. In the first novel of the manga, in the little chart thing in the beginning, next to Taiitsu-kun's name, it says "an Oracle." Pick up an English version of the book if you don't believe me. Plus, Yume is the Oracle and if by this point in time, you don't know that than you really, really need to go talk to your literature teacher about active reading skills. And one last thing, I put a lot of time and effort into this story. I have spent hours researching and looking things up to make sure I don't distort events beyond what I want. You can't put a character into a pre-written story and expect everything to be the same. It just cannot be done. I hope this didn't sound too mean because I do try and be a nice person most of the time. If you are still interested in this so very unoriginal and incorrect fic, I suggest you reread it for your own benefit. You obviously didn't catch everything the first time.  
  
Otaku Pitcher: No. You don't confuse me. Honestly, you're like my favorite reviewer. I was just having a bad day. I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings. I'll have to check on those spelling errors; they were probably last minute changes that I never bothered to spell check. And, once again, I apologize for saying you confuse me. Oh, if you want to know, I did finally update Itsuka.  
  
Songwind: No problem. It's ok. You can't catch 'em all. (Pokemon!) And yes, Byakko would be cool.  
  
chibichibi386: Thank you so much!  
  
Chibificgrl-100: Thanks! I wish I could fly too. Or, snap my fingers and appear places. That would be kinda cool, too.  
  
Metajoker: Oh...thank you! Was I really an inspiration? That's really nice of you to say. And I'll see if I can read your story, too.  
  
Author's Note: I am not going to lie to you guys today. I know this took- what? two months? - to get up but there are a lot of reasons for that. I'll stick with the basics. One, I got my first flame and it totally pissed me off. The person said it wasn't a flame, just a "nit-picking" but it still pissed me off and made me really, really not want to work on this story. I mean, everything they criticized me on was incorrect so they can go print out their review and stick it up their butt. : ) Sorry, but if you are going to tell me I suck, at least have the courtesy to make sure your facts are correct. Grr. Anyway, after that I went away for a week and then I painted my room and did some other stuff. I had this chapter pretty much ready to go but just couldn't get around to putting it up. I hope you all don't hate me too much. I love you. You guys that read and actually pay attention bring smiles to my face. Really. Sometimes when I have a really bad day (like I've been having) seeing your reviews and words of encouragement just brightens my day. Thank you. Ok, now this is getting way too sappy and sentimental so I'm just going to start the chapter before you all puke and exit out of the chapter.  
  
Chapter 29: Decisions and Departures  
  
As much as I wanted to perfect flying, upon entering lunch Taiitsu-kun curtly ordered me to remain with both feet firmly on the ground. I replied by sticking my tongue out at her when she wasn't looking. I don't care if she thinks I shouldn't get in the habit of flying. It's fun. Besides, who is going to notice me flying out in a magically protected mountain? She also told me that because I was so passionate about my lesson, she'd give me the rest of the day off. What a nice woman. All during lunch, I felt as though Taiitsu-kun was hiding something from me. Unfortunately, (or fortunately, depends on who you ask), mind reading was not on my list of special skills so my hunch could not be proven until she felt the urge to tell me.  
  
I decided to use my free time to take Shiriko on a walk which brings us up to what I am currently doing: stumbling through the hallways in a futile attempt to find my room. "This place is even harder to find your way through than the Konan palace!" I exclaimed to no one in particular.  
  
"Not if you know where to go," someone responded. I recognized the voice as Seppuka's.  
  
"If I knew where to go, I wouldn't have a problem, now would I?" I retorted. "Could you help me?"  
  
"I suppose. I don't have anything else to do," she answered. "You are trying to find your room, aren't you?" I nodded. "This way."  
  
She led me through the seemingly endless hallways silently and as though she knew every inch by heart. "Have you stayed here for a long time?" I asked her.  
  
"Stayed here? I've been living here ever since I was old enough for my parents to ship me off. They said it was for the best," she replied bitterly.  
  
"Why would they say that?"  
  
"Gee, I don't know. It might have something to do with the fact that I am tied to an enemy country's god and now, unfortunately, you," she snapped. "Look, I really don't want to talk to some kid about my past. There's your room so good-bye and good riddance."  
  
I opened the door while she was talking and Shiriko bounded out into the hall. He jumped up on me so that my arms were supporting his front paws. "Guess it's a good thing I decided to take you for a walk," I mused. "Ok, ok. Down, Shiriko."  
  
He obediently got off and proceeded to sit himself in front of Seppuka. "Is he going to move?" she asked, eying Shiriko with an obvious distaste.  
  
"I don't know. He should but that doesn't mean he will. He has a mind of his own most of the time." I went into the room to get his leash and when I came back, Seppuka was on the ground. Shiriko had one paw on her stomach and was standing next to her looking quite pleased with himself. "Shiriko! What'd you do? Seppuka, are you ok?"  
  
"I'm fine. I tried to walk past him and the stupid mutt wouldn't get down. He knocked me over."  
  
"Shiriko! That's no way to treat a friend!" He trotted over to me and laid at my feet, stomach up, and gave me his best "puppy dog" look. I rubbed his stomach with my foot. "I'm not mad at you. Seppuka, you should be able to leave now."  
  
She got up off the floor and brushed herself off. "You're just lucky he caught me on a good day or I might have paralyzed him permanently. Nakago made a mistake letting him go." She turned her back on us before adding, "Oh, and for future reference, I am not your friend." She waved her hand over her shoulder and strode away.  
  
"Maybe I should have let you finish her off," I joked. The dog jumped to his feet, tail wagging, and looked at me as if to say "I'll still go get her if you want." I laughed at his eager expression. 'He's always so willing to do anything for me.' "No, Shiriko. She's not worth it. Let's just find somewhere for you to run and for myself to sit."  
  
I put him on the leash and we set about to wander the huge palace. I didn't really know where we were going and I didn't care, either. 'It doesn't matter what Seppuka says: this place is hard to find your way around,' my mind grumbled. Eventually, we emerged into a field. I figured it was more than likely the one Renee led me to last night. Everywhere I looked, weird multi-colored bubbles floated. No matter how childish it may seem, both Shiriko and I had the desire to run and pop them. But, it probably wasn't the best idea in the world and I told Shiriko so. "We better not pop them, buddy. We don't know what they are."  
  
Leaning over slightly, I let Shiriko off the leash. He stalked off, seemingly disappearing into the few shadows happily, although I find it hard to believe that someone can stalk away happily. I watched him for a second before searching for a place to sit myself. I found a tree and decided that was as good of a place as any. I really just needed to sit and think; the location didn't matter to me. It was funny, in a way. Shiriko went off to explore the great mysteries of the unknown while I was stuck sitting underneath a tree to figure out the not-so-great mysteries of my known. 'But the again, if it's known, can it be a mystery? I guess in my life, I don't really know anything for sure. The only thing I've been able to count on is Shiriko. Sometimes, I think he's my best friend, no matter how pathetic that may seem. He has stayed with me through all of this, even when I wish I could have left myself, even when I let everyone else down.'  
  
The past few days have passed in a haze for me. I didn't really have time to react. I wish I could go back in time and do things differently but I know that will never happen. I'm not sure I'd even change my decisions if I could, even with my knowledge of the consequences. I'm beginning not to care anymore. It's like that song "Whatever will be, will be." I don't know why they don't add on a "and there's nothing you can do to change that so why even bother trying?" but that's just my opinion. 'I've been so depressed lately; it's a wonder I can even find reasons to wake up in the morning. I mean, my life's not a soap opera and I shouldn't act like it is. Sure, most teenager's lives do seem to come straight out of the mind of one of those freak's minds, but that's no excuse for allowing myself to sit around and feel sorry for myself. There will be other guys. Everything happens for a reason. This will make sense eventually,' my mind decided. 'You just keep telling yourself that,' Genbu mocked. 'You guys come back at the worst times!' I wailed. 'I'm the only one back and you should not be whining about your pathetic life. You should be training. Why aren't you?' he asked. 'Why do you need to ask? Just search my mind for the answer. But you shouldn't even have to do that since you are a god and gods are supposed to know everything, aren't they?' I couldn't help myself. He snooped in on my private discussion so now I taunt him. 'You are supposed to be a tool so why don't you answer your master?' he snapped back. I stuck out a mental tongue at him. 'Taiitsu-kun said I could have the afternoon off because I'm so good at flying,' I told him in as good of a haughty voice I could make my mind sound. 'You better not be lying because Suzaku wants to move out. Seiryuu said his priestess will have the second Shinzaho soon and he wants you to talk to her before she summons him so get off your lazy ass and tell Taiitsu-kun to send you there. Now!' he ordered. 'Fine, but do me a favor and get the other gods back. I don't like being stuck with you.'  
  
I called Shiriko and we went back into the palace together. I ran into Renee on the way there who told me Taiitsu-kun was in a private meeting with Katana to discuss the rest of my training. I went back to my room and got out the notebook I had been using as a journal. "Well, Shiriko, it's been a while since I wrote in this. I have some time so I might as well." The dog sighed and lay down on the bed next to me as I began to write. I had lost track of how many days I've been here. It feels like a really long time but I know it hasn't even been a month yet. Not even half of one. 'I think I'll just go with day number then. That seems right.' I wrote about Nuriko's death, Tasuki, my encounter with Nakago, and even how I have all the gods in my head. I recorded just about everything that had happened to me the past few days. Just as I was finishing up, I heard a knock on my door. Shiriko's eyes opened and his ears pricked up. "Yes?" I said, closing the notebook and storing it away.  
  
The door opened and Taiitsu-kun walked in. "You wanted to talk to me before?" she asked. "What did you want?"  
  
"The gods and worried. Yu- The Priestess of Seiryuu is going to have the second Shinzaho soon," I answered. 'Yume, let me speak to her now,' Seiryuu ordered. The scar that represented Seiryuu began to glow and I felt myself be pushed to the back of my mind.  
  
"So you are speaking now, Seiryuu? What about your priestess troubles you?" Taiitsu-kun questioned in a much more respectful voice than she had used with me. 'Well, what'd you expect? He's a god, you're not,' Suzaku said when I said so.  
  
"I'm concerned that she may not be acting with the best interest of Sairou at heart. Nakago is polluting her mind. If he gets his wish granted..." He trailed off.  
  
"We could end up with another Unwoven one. The Fates and Nephiro would love that. She'd had to share her cave," Taiitsu-kun said, finishing it for him in a tone of disgust. Despite that, she shuddered. (A/N: Anyone reading my other FY fic will know Nephiro. I try to tie my stories together sometimes. I know, bad Smack. Don't worry; it's not important to the plot. Just a little hint to the future of the other story.)  
  
"Exactly. She's being...tolerable now but who knows what will happen if a new face joins her forces?" 'Huh? What's an "Unwoven one" and who's Nephiro?' I asked. 'It's better not to ask or she may sense it and penetrate your thoughts. Besides, Byakko is sensitive about it,' Suzaku replied. 'I am not sensitive about it!' 'Yes, yes you are.'  
  
"What do you want me to do?" Taiitsu-kun asked gravely.  
  
"I need you to send Yume, Seppuka, Renee, Fae, and Katana to wherever my priestess is. I need them to find out what she is planning and, if possible, talk some sense into her before a force is let loose that can destroy both worlds," he answered. "As soon as possible."  
  
"Sometimes, I wonder how well Nephiro is held at bay," Taiitsu-kun murmured absently. "This has her written all over it." Shaking herself, she said, "I don't think Yume is ready yet."  
  
"She's going to have to be. Whatever she doesn't know now, she'll just have to learn out there. There is no other way."  
  
"I suppose you are right. Consider it done," she told him. "Yume, get your stuff together. All of it. I don't know if you'll be returning. I'll tell the other four." She hurried off and I was given back control of my body.  
  
I raced about the room gathering my things. I didn't have much and what I did have was barely unpacked. About fifteen minutes later, Shiriko and I met the rest in the main hall. Taiitsu-kun looked about as unsure as I felt.  
  
"Are you ready to go?" she asked me.  
  
"As ready as I'm going to be," I replied, trying to seem confident but inside I was shaking. I wasn't ready to go into the heart of enemy lands and possibly face Nakago. But then again, I probably never will be. 'Calm down, Yume. You'll be fine. We're all right here,' Byakko comforted.  
  
"All right then. I wish you five luck," she said. With one last look at us and a wave of her hand we were on our way...  
  
Author's Note: There ya go. Hope you liked it. Ignore the allusion to my other story; she may or may not be important later on. Well, she might actually appear in the story in the future. Hehe. Anyway, I don't really like this chapter. It's kind of, I don't know, blah? I mean, parts of it are good but over all it's just... blah, you know? Ok, I don't need to criticize my own story, that's what I have people like "Meepsies" for. They lower my already low self-esteem to the point of no return! Sorry, I'm still a little ticked off by that. I hope the rest of you don't read as absent-mindedly as her. You pay attention, right? You know that Yume is the Oracle, right? Please tell me you do? Ok, I'm done. I'll stop. Now, here's your quote.  
  
"What's this dog doing in my room?"  
  
~Smack 


	30. Sometimes I Just Want to Put on a Bunny ...

Disclaimer: I don't own the marvelous anime and manga this fic is kind of sort of based on.  
  
Thanks to...  
  
Songwind: I know that's what flamers are there for but she pissed me off. I don't care if people don't like my story; I just think that if they are going to tell me they don't like it, they should have valid reasons. And I am also a really, really big perfectionist and I have high standards. I know I should keep my opinions to myself on my story because I am my first critic but sometimes...I don't know. I tell people anyway. But thank you for the support. And I'm sorry it took so long to update.  
  
VanyD: Well thanks for saying it wasn't horrible. I was having writer's block and just wrote a filler chapter. The reference to my other story is actually going to be very important either later on in this story or in the sequel. I haven't completely decided on when but it will happen. So...watch out.  
  
Chibificgrl-100: Don't worry; I'll finish this story. It might take me awhile because school is evil but I will finish it. Promise. And I honestly can't remember how I came up with the name Shiriko. ::ponders and draws a blank:: Oh well. Thanks for the review!  
  
Otaku Pitcher: Are you kidding! You are good for lots of stuff to writers! You're like my favorite reviewer! And I'm completely serious. You always let me know when I have spelling issues that I miss somehow. You're the only who does that! Everyone else passes 'em by. And I'm glad you like the chapter, though I think this one might be a little better. Yume does some role-playing.  
  
neppy: No, I don't have ESP. I just started off with a basic idea of you and it evolved into this. Smile and be happy. Thanks for the heads up on that spelling issue. I'm leaving it for now. :)  
  
Mushroom: (Sorry for shortening your name. It's cool, I mean, I like it, it's just really, really long.) Yea, you know, the other characters are off doing their own things. Yume has a different path to take than them for the moment. They will probably be in the next chapter but for now, they are going their separate ways. As for the all-powerful Yume thing, as you will see later in this chapter, she has her limits. She is still a "normal" teenage girl in her mind. I think if someone shot her, her first thoughts would be shock, which would then melt into "OMG I'M GOING TO DIE!" Not "Let's use my new powers that I've only had for a day." You have a very valid point but there are more things to consider than what she can do. Sometimes you have to think of what you would think of if it were you.  
  
Metajoker: I know that chapter was short. This one is super long though! Well, for me, it is. I'm glad you at least think it has a nice flow. Thank you.  
  
kyebaka: Thank you!!! I made the gods immature on purpose. I figured that I would have them act like eighteen-year-olds, though I don't remember now. o.O Oh well. Thanks again!  
  
Fyfangirl26: Well, Yume has a lot on her plate right now but there will eventually be some interaction between them. Not for some time, though. The other characters have to take care of some stuff and Yume has to do her thing but they will meet again, in very weird circumstances and maybe, just maybe, they'll come to terms with how they feel about each other.  
  
AquaRose: Thanks! It gets even more complex once you get to the ending. You'll all hate me for that. (The ending is the only part that I have actually planned out and let me tell you, if you hate me for the cliffhangers I throw in now and then, you will despise me for the ending.)  
  
Author's Note: I know. Another long wait. We have this evil of all evils known as "block scheduling" in school this year and it's taken me a bit to get used to. That and I've been feeling kind of down lately, about this story and life in general. But I have battled the bleakness and have forced myself to sit here and type this for you. I like the chapter title because I, for one, have definitely felt like that at times. How about you? I know you have. We all have at one point or another. It's a fact of life. Anyway, this chapter is kind of weird. Yume gets some split personalities and role- plays a little. But I like it and I hope you will too. It's also longer than the last chapter by a lot so you should be happy. And without further ado, here's chapter thirty...  
  
Chapter 30: Sometimes I Just Want to Put on a Bunny Suit and Scream  
  
The six of us (including Shiriko) materialized in some hallway that I only could guess was in yet another palace. I was getting sick of them. I didn't know what to expect in this place. I was, in a sense, surrounded by enemies. There was small comfort in the fact that the four girls around me were under orders to protect me. Very small comfort. "I guess we're here," Renee said. She sounded just as nervous as I felt.  
  
"Yea...but now what? This place looks huge," Fae responded, looking around. "It's kinda dark in here. Not very cozy."  
  
"I can fix that," Seppy said. She held out her hand, palm up, and a ball of light formed on it, illuminating our surroundings. "That's better."  
  
"But we still need to know what to do. Should we search for the others or concentrate on the priestess first? Yume, you're supposed to be the leader, what do you propose we do?" Katana asked me. Every eye turned towards me, searching for an answer, but I didn't have one.  
  
"Uhh..." I started. 'What should we do?' I asked the gods. 'You should go look for my priestess. Those four should concentrate on finding the others. They will need all the help they can get soon,' Seiryuu ordered. 'And try not to be so nervous. We're with you if you need us. No one will listen to you or take you seriously if you look like you're afraid of your own shadow,' Byakko added. "You four go find the others. Tell them nothing of where I am and what I'm doing. Their task is to find the Shinzaho, not look for me," I declared, regaining my composure and then some.  
  
"What about you?" Katana questioned. "Will you be ok?"  
  
"I'll be better off by myself, trust me," I answered. "Now get going. They need you, I don't." They warped off somewhere, taking the light with them. Now it was just Shiriko and I. 'Just the way I like it.' "Which way do you think she is, Shiriko?" I whispered so as not to draw attention to us.  
  
The wolf dog sniffed the air and headed towards the left. I naturally followed. I almost found myself wishing Seppuka was still around: I could use her little ball of light. Then I remembered that I had my own source of light. I got out my flashlight and turned it on. It helped a little. Now I could at least see the ground in front of me as I walked. Shiriko led the way through the seemingly endless hallways that were so popular in palaces in this world. Then I heard the sound of footsteps echoing in a near by corridor. I froze and listened as they continued. Peering over my shoulder, I saw nothing but shadows. 'Go there, Yume,' Seiryuu ordered. 'And dim your light! No need to let them know we are coming!' I turned off my flashlight and replaced it in my bag before heading down the passage. I, accompanied by Shiriko, entered stealthily (meaning I somehow managed not to trip over my own feet) and found a young man walking in the opposite direction. He seemed preoccupied by something and did not notice my approach, which was a good thing in my mind. 'Perfect. Not Yui but not Nakago or Tomo either.' 'Talk to him. Maybe he can direct you to Yui's apartments,' Seiryuu commanded. 'As you command so do I obey, master,' I replied sarcastically. 'That's right and you better not forget it.' 'Shut up.' 'Just go already. You waste too much time,' he said. I stuck a mental tongue out at him but moved towards the youth.  
  
"Excuse me, sir. You look like you know you're way around here. I'm a little bit lost. I'm trying to find my way to the priestess. I have some final instructions from Nakago for her. Could you please take me to her?" I asked the retreating form. The boy looked up at me and I took a good look at him. He had dirty blonde hair, somewhat long and held back by a blue headband and attentive blue eyes that seemed intense. I almost stepped back upon meeting his gaze but held my ground. I refused to be intimidated by a mere boy's eyes. He was wearing some sort of orange vest over a blue shirt. He didn't look that much older than myself.  
  
"Why would Nakago send a newbie to do something so important? And what are you wearing? Not even the Priestess has clothes like that," he questioned, eying me with those intense eyes suspiciously.  
  
"I'm not exactly new. I just don't leave Nakago's apartments much," I lied with a perfectly straight face. 'Ew! Yume! That's nasty! I expected better of you!' Byakko cried. The youth, however, eyed me with much greater interest. "I was the only one around at that moment so he sent me. And as for the clothes," I shrugged, "I like them. They're comfy." 'I should have thought before wearing my own clothes. One of those dresses would have been a lot more discreet.'  
  
"What about Soi?" he asked. "I thought that was her job."  
  
"What you're thinking is. I don't have the ability to help his life force. I'm his...Oh, what's that word?"  
  
"Whore?" he offered.  
  
"No...that's not it," I replied, ignoring the intended insult. "I'm his mistress, not his whore."  
  
He studied me even more carefully now, walking in a circle around me, apparently considering. "I think he did mention something about a girl your age that looked like you. But what's with the dog?" he said finally.  
  
"Nakago gave me him to protect me from strange men. He's good company sometimes," I explained. Shiriko's ears went down when I said that and I pet his head in what I hoped appeared to be just a fond stroke rather than an attempt to sooth him. "Now, are you going to bring me to her or not?"  
  
"What does Nakago want you to tell her?" he asked. 'What's with the twenty questions? Man!'  
  
"I'm afraid I can't tell you that. It's a secret, you know. Just between the priestess and Nakago and, well, me." I stepped towards him so that my face was only about an inch away from him and looked up into his eyes. "It's nothing personal. I'd love to tell you but I can't. You understand, don't you?"  
  
His face colored and he nodded. "Yea, I understand." He took a step back and grabbed my hand. "Come on, I'll take you. Yui's room is right this way." Still holding my hand, he led me through the halls. I usually don't like playing the dim-witted "easy" girl, but it can be fun and it works. "She should be in there and if she is not, she will return shortly," he said, indicating a door to the right.  
  
"Thanks for all your help. Look me up later. We should get together. You're kinda cute." I patted his cheek, winked and entered the room before he could react. As far as I cold tell, Yui was nowhere to be found so I took advantage of the time and looked around. It was a big bedroom, with a four- poster bed and a bit of furniture, much nicer than my Konan room. "Shiriko, if she's here, find her."  
  
The dog sniffed the air and shook his head no. 'Damn kid. She's not even here!' 'She'll come back. She's probably being prepared for the ceremony. Sit down and relax,' Seiryuu told me. 'Yea right. How can I relax when I'm right in the center of enemy headquarters? For all I know, that kid could go blabbing to someone and that could reach Tomo or Nakago and then they'll know I'm here.' 'That's not going to happen. Now sit down or I'll make you,' Seiryuu ordered. I sat down in one of the scattered chairs and Shiriko settled by me feet. I was nearly asleep when we heard footsteps outside of the door. I froze. 'What should I do?' I asked terrified. 'Hide!' Suzaku answered. 'Behind the bed! Hurry!' I did as I was told and waited. Seconds passed like minutes, each one filled with to the core with uncertainty. The doorknob turned, creaking unnaturally loudly, then the door opened. Two sets of feet entered the chamber. "Leave me. I can handle this myself," the haughty voice of Yui ordered. The second set of feet left and Shiriko took a step out from behind the bed.  
  
"No! Shiriko! Stay!" I whispered hoarsely. But it was too late. He disappeared completely from my sight and into the open.  
  
"What's this dog doing in my room?" Yui snapped.  
  
"He's mine," I said before I could stop myself. The last thing I needed was her to call the guards and that was bound to happen if I didn't reveal myself. It could still happen but it is less likely now. Or at least, I hoped it was. I stepped out from behind the bed and stood next to Shiriko. Seeing her standing there in her stupid little robe without a hint of remorse over what she had done to Nuriko was too much. A flood of emotions washed over me. I loathed her and I wanted to kill her. Slowly and painfully. I hated the fact that I was here to help her. She deserved whatever she got and then some. But I had to obey. "Don't be scared. I was sent her to advise you."  
  
"Wait...I know you from somewhere," she said, studying my face. "You're that spy that went AWOL, aren't you? I thought you quit working for Nakago," she added, looking slightly nervous. 'Ah good. She heard the stories.'  
  
"I didn't quit. I just moved onto bigger and better things," I responded, smiling slightly in a taunting manner.  
  
"Then who sent you here?" she asked, looking more than just a little nervous now. I wanted to take full advantage of this but decided that I should just follow orders.  
  
"Seiryuu," I answered.  
  
"That's not possible. He has not been summoned yet."  
  
"Why does everyone always say that? I'm the Oracle. I communicate with the gods via the mind and spread their messages to you common folk." 'Don't taunt her, Yume. That will never work,' Seiryuu muttered.  
  
"What are you babbling about? I didn't know there was such a thing," Yui sneered.  
  
"I don't have the time or patience it would take to explain everything to you. It's not important that you understand how it happened or what my role in this world is. What does matter is what I am here to say," I snapped back.  
  
"And what exactly are you here to say?" she questioned. "I have a lot to do and don't have time to waste on ex-employees."  
  
"I'm here to protect your pathetic existence so if I were you, I'd drop the attitude. I wasn't sent here to deal with your shit so cut the crap and listen to me." Her eyes glared death at me but she said no more. "Mind if I take I seat?" She shook her head no and I seated myself in a chair opposite of where she was standing. 'Yume, you are going about this entirely the wrong way. If you don't start behaving properly, I will take control,' Seiryuu warned. "Now then, in order for me to help you, I need to know what you are planning on wishing once you summon Seiryuu."  
  
"Why should I tell you? For all I know, this could be a trick to get me to tell you what I'm planning. How do I know you aren't Miaka's lackey now?" she demanded in a very snooty voice. I took a mental deep breath. 'This girl is going to be the death of me,' I thought, forgetting for once about the gods.  
  
"First of all, I'm not on very good terms with Miaka and her little pals at the moment. You know the whole spying thing? Yea, they didn't like that too much. Secondly, I will never be anyone's 'lackey' as you so aptly put it. And last of all, you should tell me because if you don't, you will wind up being consumed by the very god that is meant to grant you your wishes. Now then, if you have no further objections, might we get started?" I responded in what I could only consider a tight voice. "You don't have to tell me the intricacies of your plans, just what your plans are concerning Nakago. That's all I need to know," I added as a sort of afterthought. When she still didn't speak, I decided to change tactics. "Well, if you still don't feel comfortable trusting me, at least listen to my advice. You cannot grant Nakago the power he desires."  
  
"I have no choice," she mumbled under her breath. I got the impression that I was not supposed to hear that remark but chose to reply anyway.  
  
"Listen to me, Yui. You always have a choice whether or not you see it right now. You just have to be brave enough to risk it. Please do as I say."  
  
"You don't understand. Nakago saved me. I'm in debt to him," she replied sadly.  
  
"That doesn't mean you have to grant him his wish. He's using that debt against you! He's using you! Can't you see? Nakago will destroy our worlds with that kind of power! You mustn't let him have it! I beg you," I pleaded.  
  
"You don't know Nakago at all! He'd never use me! He cares about me!" she screamed at me. "GUARDS!!! Help! There's an intruder in my room!" She smirked maliciously at me. The door swung open and six armored guards entered. "Seize her and take her to the dungeon. Inform Nakago of her presence. I'm sure he would love to have a few words with a traitor like her."  
  
I backed into a corner as the guards advanced towards me. The gods were silent. They grabbed my arms and forced them behind my back. Shiriko began to growl. "Shiriko! Get out of here!" I hissed to my dog. To the men I said, "Relax, I'll go peacefully. I'm not completely incompetent. I know when there is no hope." Shiriko took off out the still open door while they were distracted with me.  
  
"The dog, you idiots!" Yui shrieked. "Get it!" Three of the men took off after Shiriko and I prayed for his safety. He would find the others. He has to.  
  
The other three guards escorted me to the dungeon: one behind me to hold my arms, the other two to either side. They led me through endless corridors, then down a staircase, until we arrived in a dark, damp passage that appeared to be a hallway. On either side were doors, barred and locked. The whole place smelt of something rancid. Opening one of the doors, the guard that had been holding my arms pushed me into the room before shutting and locking the door behind him. I landed with a thud on the hard rock floor. I got up, rubbing my now sore butt, and looked around. If ever there was a hopeless situation, it was the one I was in now. Although it was still daylight outside, the cell was almost pitch black. The only light came from the tiny opening on the door, and that was from a torch lit in the hall outside. There was nothing to sit on except the floor and due to the lack of light, I was hesitant to sit on it. Who knows what could be on the ground? I tried the door in an attempt I knew would be fruitless and was not surprised when it didn't budge. In an act of frustration, I kicked the door. All that accomplished was making my foot hurt. I was not a happy camper.  
  
'Damn my luck! I don't suppose one of you can help, can you?' I asked. 'Err...No, not really,' Byakko replied. 'Wonderful. Absolutely fuckin' perfect. Nakago is on his way and I'm stuck in a cell with four gods in my head that can do nothing to help me! What good are you if you can't help?' I raged. 'We can keep you company,' Suzaku suggested. 'Wahoo.' I was trapped, completely and utterly trapped with Nakago on his way and my only hope rested with a dog and a group of people who currently hate me. Sitting, well, squatting, in a corner, I prayed that Shiriko would reach the others. I felt like putting on a bunny suit and screaming. And I did, well, I didn't have a bunny suit but I screamed as loud as I possibly could until my throat was hoarse anyway. 'Feel better?' Byakko questioned. 'Shut up.'  
  
Author's Note: Wow, that was a long chapter and most of it I just sat down and typed. Like, all of it, actually. The original version of this chapter provided a bit of an outline to follow but for the most part, it was just my Maroon 5 CD and me (and yes, I know that is improper grammar). ::smiles:: Yea...I'm really into this band Maroon 5 for some reason. I love them. They are awesome. And if you don't like them, that's ok. I won't hate you if you don't hate me, ok? Anyway, back to the chapter: what'd going to happen to her? Will Shiriko reach the others? Will they even know what to do? Poor Yume. Does the chapter title make sense now? Hee hee. I actually didn't know what to call this chapter and after the ending, it just seemed right. I hate to tell you guys this but we are really nearing the end. I think we only have five to ten chapters left. : ( Oh well. I'm calling it quits on this chapter. Here's your quote:  
  
"Only because you have no standards, you wanton."  
  
I actually don't know if I'm going to keep that part in the next chapter but I really do like that quote. Because I changed most of this chapter, I'll probably have to make up the next few, too. Oh well. See you all next chapter!  
  
~Smack 


	31. The Way the Dice Fall

Disclaimer: I don't own it so don't sue me.  
  
Thanks to...  
  
Chibificgrl-100: Thanks so much and I know it took me a while. It's all explained in the author's notes. Yes...bunny suit.  
  
Metajoker: Yea, I know. I've been bad about the whole "up-dating frequently" thing. I try. Sometimes. And I know about the dialogue, it just seems that sometimes it would make sense (in my deranged mind) to place thoughts in response to what people say or actions. I don't know. I'm weird like that. And Yui is bitchy because she hates Yume and also because Yume invaded her room and was waiting for her. How'd you feel if you just got out of the shower after a stressful day of being a bitch to your supposed best friend and found some girl and her dog in your room? Would you be happy? I know I wouldn't be.  
  
chiri26: Thanks for both of your reviews! Tasuki does care about Yume. I think. He's just...bad about expressing his feelings.  
  
Songwind: I actually used that...It was a good idea. I tweaked it a bit but it's still there. I would do that but I'm not familiar enough with the exact wording of certain scenes going on with the Suzaku people. I meant include a bit of it in the next chapter but if I don't, it will definitely be in the one after that. You just have to hold on a little bit more. I know I shouldn't put myself down but sometimes it's just like, "Man! I suck!" But, in the future, I will keep my negative comments out of my author's notes.  
  
neppy: Yes, the thing with Soi is this chapter.  
  
Fyfangirl26: You know, I want my own bunny suit. It would be so cool. I'd never wear it but just to have it...I don't know. I'm a freak. o.O I liked the role playing, too. I'm glad you like it.  
  
Otaku Pitcher: I'm glad it makes you smile. That makes me smile. I look forward to reading your guys' comments. It makes me happy to know that what I say is considered, as well, not just read and forgotten. And, I'm sorry, but this chapter will not have any appearances by any of the SUZAKU seven. Other people may show up but not them. Maybe next chapter, definitely the one after that.  
  
VanyD: Yes, bunny suit.  
  
Author's Note: Whew! This chapter has like killed my brain. I wrote the entire thing from the top of my head, (this is covered in depth at the end of the chapter author's note) and man, it takes a lot out of me. That's also why it took so long to get up. I had a bunch of different versions of this, many of which were funny yet very, very out of character, and finally I settled on this one. The remaining chapters, for the most part, will all be written off the top of my head so you will have to bear with my slowness for a little while longer. The good news is that when I write from the top of my head, the chapters seem to wind up longer. At the moment, this one is almost 3,500 words. And I'm still typing the author's note. Now it is 3,500 words. Wahoo! Anyway, it may take a while but like I have said before, this story is almost over. I mean, five, ten more chapters and it's done. No more Wishful Thinking. There will be a sequel, which I am currently planning, but I don't know for sure when that will come out. I guess my point is, you've stuck with me this long, please don't ditch me now!  
  
Chapter 31: The Way the Dice Fall  
  
I had been sitting in the same corner of my cell for what seemed like an eternity but was probably only about forty-five minutes. I had passed the time by thinking of all the possible "what if?" scenarios that could happen to me. It was not very confidence boosting. All of them started with me being found by someone: I knew that I could never get out of here on my own. Unfortunately, it was usually Nakago who found me. After that, nothing much was in common. In a few, I somehow managed to escape in various ways. The most interesting method of my escape was when I simply disappeared and reappeared somewhere else. Nearly every time, in those cases, it was in a room surrounded by all the people in this world and my own who either hate me or who I hate. I feel it's safe to say that those were not very comforting at all. Of course, they didn't compare to the ones where I didn't escape and was found by Nakago. Those I didn't even want to think about, let alone remember. I shuddered just thinking of thinking of them. They will be giving me nightmares for years. Then there were the ones where I found the group; only they were all dead or trying to kill me. In one particularly bizarre one, some guy who reminded me of Shiriko rescued me, which made absolutely no sense because Shiriko is a dog, not a hot guy. So yea, I had a lot on my mind and none of it served to calm my nerves.  
  
As I was considering the different faces of my demise, I heard a sound and froze. It was the creaking of a door and the distant echo of footsteps. They were getting louder which meant whoever was making them was getting closer. On impulse, I moved back as far as I could into the corner, wishing I could just disappear into the shadows. All of the situations that I had imagined in which I was found by Nakago and couldn't escape flashed before my eyes in one quick instant. It was enough to make me whimper and shake. The footsteps were in the hallway now. A word was exchanged and the sound of keys being passed over was heard. One person left. 'Probably the guard,' I thought bitterly. Upon hearing the keys passed over, I knew it was not Shiriko leading the others to rescue me. The guard never would have given the keys to them. 'This is it but I'm not going down without a fight.' I sent one final prayer out for Shiriko to still be alive and, pulling myself together, stood up. I refuse to let him see me huddling on the floor like a trapped mouse cornered by a hungry cat. The key entered the lock and the door opened. Standing there was a rather tall woman. In the poor light, I could not tell much else about her but I could only guess who it was.  
  
"You're Soi, right?" I asked, trying unsuccessfully to keep any emotion out of my voice. I wound up sounding rather gruff.  
  
If she was shocked that I knew her name, she certainly didn't show it. "Yes and you are Yume, correct?" Her voice was rather taunting, not at all the type of voice I would have connected with a decent person. It sounded more like the voice a girl who grew up on street corners would have. I suppose it suited her fine, if what I heard about her was true.  
  
"Yep."  
  
She took a step back, as though making room for me to exit the cell. I made a move towards the door and when she didn't protest, went into the hall. The light showed her hair color, which was a nice maroon tint, and her facial expression. She reminded me of a lioness surveying a new opponent, or maybe her next meal. At the moment, I couldn't tell which. She walked around me, looking me up and down. When she returned to where she began, she said, "My, my, my. You are a little child, aren't you?"  
  
I proceeded to circle her in the same fashion and, upon reaching my original location, said in the same, cutting manner, "And you, you remind me of a common, low-paid, working on a street corner 'cause no pimp wants her, whore."  
  
She pulled her lips back in a snarl. "What would a child know about being a whore? At least I have experience," she responded.  
  
"Only because you have no standards, you wanton," I retorted.  
  
Her eyes went wide and her face went red with rage. "Bitch."  
  
"Nice comeback. I can see why Nakago loves having you around. Good for conversations, aren't you?" I taunted. "Oh wait. He doesn't like having you around. At least, that's what the other night seems to imply."  
  
Her face went to an even darker shade of red, if that was possible. "How dare you, you wench! Nakago is and always will be mine. Back off or I will kill you," she hissed.  
  
"Why don't you tell him to back off of me? I seem to remember it was he who started it, not me," I snapped back, narrowing my eyes. "I don't know why you even care so much about him. He doesn't give a flying cow about you. It's not like he's even worth your tears. I mean, if he's trying to have sex with a teenager, something's not right." I turned my head to the side in a mock thoughtful pose. "Or maybe he's just not being satisfied," I added in what sounded like a considering tone.  
  
"Oh that's it. You are so dead." She raised her hand and slapped me.  
  
"What the hell? Is this some sort of chick fight? You're going to kill me by slapping? Yea, ok." And, contradicting all that I had just said, I slapped her back. Hard.  
  
Clutching her check, she glared at me. "That was just because I wanted to hit you before I reduced you to a pile of charred flesh that even the bugs won't touch."  
  
"Really? And how will you do that? I really want to know how a low-grade whore will reduce me to a pile of charred anything," I sneered.  
  
"Like this." Out of nowhere, lightning struck the cell door directly behind me. All that was left was a scorched piece of wood still smoldering. Soi was smirking now. 'Fuck.' "Any last requests?" she inquired.  
  
"Actually, yes. I was wondering if you could hook me up with a bunny suit. You see, I was trying to scream before but it didn't feel right without the suit. Or at least something I can use for a fluffy tail?" I asked in a futile attempt to stall for time so that the rescuers I knew would never come could get here.  
  
"Shut up." She began to repeat the motion that had set the door ablaze and I took a step back.  
  
"Soi, that is enough," a voice I immediately recognized sounded. 'Double fuck. I went from the bitch who wants to kill me to the bastard who wants to...well, I don't know what he wants to do to me and I'd rather not find out. Gods! Why do you hate me so?' "You may leave us now. I can take care of Yume by myself."  
  
"You lucked out this time but there'll be a next time," she threatened.  
  
"I'm looking forward to it," I replied, smiling.  
  
She took another step towards me but Nakago put a hand on her shoulder to stop her. "Soi, I told you to leave, so go."  
  
She trudged out looking like a sulky little child whose lollipop just got taken away. "Well now," he said upon walking towards me. "This is an interesting turn of events."  
  
I took a step back but found I had nowhere to go. Once again, I found the image of a mouse being cornered by a cat pop into my mind. 'You know, just once I'd like to be the freakin' cat,' I thought irritably. "Not really. I knew I'd wind up running into you at some point during my stay in your fine dungeon. It was only a matter of time before you showed up. My luck seems to be working against me lately," I remarked. "But, now that I have run into you, what are the chances of you letting me go and forgetting you ever met me in the first place?"  
  
"Slim to none," he replied.  
  
"Hmm...Thought so. Oh well. I guess we'll just have to repeat what happened last time we met. And I thought I would be able to depart here without hurting a soul. Oh well. If we must, let's just get it over with," I sighed.  
  
"I have something else in mind," he told me, moving even closer to me so that I really was trapped in the corner.  
  
The stairs were just behind his shoulder. 'If I can just get past him somehow, I can find the others and...and...' My mind drew a blank. 'Oh who am I kidding. I don't even know how I did what I did last time. I have a better chance of kicking him where it hurts and running like hell than knocking him out again. Let's face it, I'm screwed.'  
  
"Well, I know I don't really need to ask, but what might that be?" I questioned half-heartedly.  
  
"I have a proposition for you. I want you to join my side again. I know that you can no longer spy for me, as your cover was blown, but someone with your kind of power could be a great help to my cause. I will give you time to consider my offer," he answered. I could hardly believe my ears. 'He wants me to join him again? What, is he on crack? Why would I do that?'  
  
"And what would I get out of this little deal?" I asked him. "Sounds to me like I have everything to give and nothing to receive in return."  
  
"Why, you will get to live, of course," he responded, smiling. "If you refuse, it would be like you were declaring yourself my enemy and I can't just let an enemy walk free."  
  
I stood there, staring at him, indignation melting to shock. "You can't actually be serious, can you?" I asked rhetorically. "You cannot possibly think, even for a minute, that I would ever, ever join forces with you again on my own free will. No, even you are not truly that dense. So what is it then? Do you think that I will choose you over death? Or do you believe that I will believe those to be my only options? No, Nakago. I will not join you nor will I die. Have you forgotten so soon my power?" I looked at him with a semblance of feigned superiority.  
  
"If that is how you feel, then I have no choice other than to keep you here. I have other matters to attend to at the moment. You will remain here until you change your mind. I refuse to allow anyone to interfere in my plans," he said with what might have been a touch of sadness in voice. He waved his hand and that familiar blue light shone from it, and I knew he was trying to paralyze me. Rather than spoil everything, I went along with it and pretended to be unable to move. He brushed a hand across my cheek. "It really is too bad that things are working out like this between us."  
  
I regarded him coldly. "Things are only this way because you make them like that, Nakago," I responded.  
  
"Well, it is of little importance. You will come around, one way or another." And with that he exited the scene. I waited until I could no longer hear the sound of his steps before taking a step towards the stairs and peering up them. He was gone.  
  
'Guys, I could really use some help right about now,' I called to the voices in my head. 'What should I do?' There was a moment of pause before Seiryuu said, 'You must come here. Things are not going as planned. My warriors have the second Shinzaho. I will be summoned soon and once that happens, I will be unable to help you. I will be one with the Priestess then.' 'Well, what do I have to do?' I asked again. 'Close your eyes and allow me to have complete and total control of you: body, mind and soul. Surrender to my will and all be well,' he told me. His voice was hypnotic: it lulled me into a trance. I felt calm, peaceful. I felt safe and surprisingly happy to be under another's control. 'This is how it was meant to be,' I thought happily. 'Did I think it? Am I thinking now?' That train of thoughts led me to confusion and so I abandoned it, sinking back into the calm of the void. Nothing could harm me here; no one could reach me. Abruptly, it ended and I was out in the open again. 'Open your eyes, Yume. We're here,' Seiryuu told me.  
  
I did as I was told and had to practically force my mouth shut to keep from gaping. I had never seen such a bizarre yet beautiful place in my life. (A/N: This realm is of my own creation and as such may not be what you might consider the way it should be. I'm sorry but this how I choose to represent it so please do not tell me it is inaccurate. I know.) The ground was paved in white tiles as far as I could see, except where a huge fountain or garden was placed. A few large buildings that resembled palaces were arranged around a circular courtyard, the largest with a small path leading up to it and in the center, the other two to the side and smaller. All had at least two columns in front. The whole design of the buildings almost made me think of Greek architecture but I dismissed that immediately. They were far more beautiful than any Greek or Roman buildings I had ever seen. Everything seemed to flow together to create one scene of immense beauty and perfection rather than have been placed by any mortal hand.  
  
"I take it you like it then," I heard a male voice say from behind me. I almost jumped. I knew that voice, but it was not in my head.  
  
"Byakko!" I turned around and hugged the white-haired god.  
  
His eyes widened momentarily before he returned the hug. "Whoa. Happy to see me, aren't you?"  
  
"What are you doing outside of my head? I didn't think you could do that," I asked, sounding way more like a child than I would have hoped. I released him and looked up into his eyes. The others were there, too, I saw. Genbu was snickering.  
  
"What, no hug for me?" Suzaku joked.  
  
"Do you want one?" I asked back.  
  
"Well...it would be nice. Byakko always gets hugs," he grumbled.  
  
"That's because I'm huggable," he beamed. I laughed but hugged the red- haired phoenix god as well.  
  
"So really, where am I and why am I here?" I repeated.  
  
"You're in our world, called the God's realm by some. You are here because our plans have fallen through. We had hoped to avoid this but with the way certain events have played out, we have no choice but to awaken what lies within you," Seiryuu told me. "The dice do not always favor the gods, it seems."  
  
"What?"  
  
Author's Note: Am I evil or what? Muahahahaha. Ok. So maybe that wasn't the best cliffhanger ending in the world but it has to have you thinking, right? Right?! Good. Anyway, I hope you liked that chapter. I did write most of it, well, all of it, actually, off the top of my head. That's why it took so long. I kept getting off into really bad fight scenes with Nakago and stuff. Then I re-watched the episodes in which the whole Miaka imprisoned and Chiriko dying scenes over again and said, "Fuck. I did this whole thing wrong! That can't happen because if Chiriko's already dead, Nakago would be here, Soi would be there, the group would be all split up..." and in an attempt to save my sanity, I just edited out the whole scene in which Yume encountered the others and found out he was dead. That will happen in the chapter after next, when she meets them at the Konan palace. You're going to have to wait just a little bit longer until the Suzaku seishi return to the plot. Well, I haven't actually wrote the next few chapters (since I rewrote this one, all the ones following must be change) but I might consider inserting a little part here and there where one of the other people is focused on. I don't know, maybe planning of the war, reaction to Chiriko's death, whatever happened to Shiriko... Fluff stuff. Don't expect anything, though, cause I'm not promising anything. Got it? Ok then.  
  
I don't actually have a quote for the next chapter ready but I'll try to create something off the top of my head that will be in there. Uhh...Let me see here, oh! That could work!  
  
"You haven't heard me before because I did not speak."  
  
Uh-oh! What could it mean? If you thought it was confusing now, just wait until you see what I have in store for you later on.  
  
~Smack 


	32. Paths to Choose

Disclaimer: I don't own Fushigi Yuugi so please don't sue me. Not like you'd get much, anyway. Hehe.  
  
Thanks to...  
  
chiri26: I stopped there because I am mean, cruel and heartless. Actually, because I just felt it was a good place to stop. I'm known for my cliffhangers, remember? Thanks for the review!  
  
Metajoker: Thanks! Soi wasn't so bitchy in the anime but then, in the anime, there wasn't some little girl who took her love's attention, was there? She was mad that Yume, some slip of a girl who wasn't even of age, really, could somehow take Nakago's attention away from her. Thanks again.  
  
VanyD: Yea, I love Byakko too. He's fun to write because he is so not what you would expect a god to be like. (Well, at least not what I would think of as a god.) Thanks for the review.  
  
Fool Of a Took part II: If you feel the urge to hug Byakko, go for it. I won't tell if you won't. Thanks for the review.  
  
chibichibi386: ::bows:: Thank you. He's there, don't worry.  
  
Songwind: Yea, I couldn't resist. The bunny suit rocks. Thank you for getting why Soi was the way she was! Other people asked why she was so bitchy. I mean, I understand why they would wonder but I would also think they would get it. Oh well. I wasn't worried so much about getting it word for word, I just didn't want to mess up the order of things (my original plan for this chapter was, well, inaccurate at best). Thanks for the pep talk. Sometimes, even I need them. I do appreciate it.  
  
Fyfangirl26: I'm guessing Soi was thinking: "Ok...bunny suit? Is this girl on opium?" But I could be wrong. It wouldn't be the first time. I'm glad you enjoyed that. And yes, I do take some joy in confusing my readers. I know, I'm mean. I can't help it.  
  
neppy: Yes. That was the Soi scene from before but only slightly tweaked to fit my own needs. I don't feel like commenting to the rest but don't take it personally, nep. I still love ya.  
  
Otaku Pitcher: Hey, I'm being a bad author so you can be a bad reviewer. I won't be mad at you if you aren't mad at me. Deal? Thanks for the nice comments. I like hearing them, I do.  
  
Fyrefly: I'm glad that my stories are your favorites. I'll try to work up the urge to update Itsuka for you but it's hard. That story always has me stumped. I make no promises concerning the relations of Yume and the other characters. Sorry.  
  
Author's Note: I humbly apologize for taking so long to get this chapter up. The truth is, I was having a lot of trouble writing it. I've had this idea in my head for a while now of where I wanted this story to go for a long time now and I guess when it actually got to the point where I'd be writing the first step towards it, I began to question it. Well, once I began to question my ideas, I hit this evil block and couldn't even begin to write anything that I thought of as good. I've been working on this chapter on and off since like a week after I posted the last one but every time I wrote something, I would look back at it and be like "OMG! What is that crap?" and start all over. Not a good way to accomplish anything so I've been at a stalemate with it since. But, I think I may have finally gotten back on track and found my true path (for now). I also went back and for a Christmas present for my friend, revised every single chapter of this story and printed it out for her. So at some point those changes will be posted. Probably not for a while, though. Anyway, I have dragged this on for a good deal so I think I'll leave it at this. A lot of you should be pleased with this chapter, I hope. Others angry at me for it. Oh well. It can't be helped.  
  
Chapter 32: Paths to Choose  
  
He paused in the hallway, his whole body rigid, and sniffed the air. He thought he had lost his pursuers- humans are very easy to confuse, in his opinion- but he had to be sure. Detecting no sign of the guards, his muscles loosened, but only by a hair. Even now, he wanted to turn back the way he came and go to Yume, but being the intelligent animal that he was, he knew he could do nothing on his own to rescue his mistress. And that irritated him to no end. It wasn't as if he was useless, he could definitely hold his own, it was just that they outnumbered him and Yume didn't want him to make a big mess. 'She never did like violence,' he told himself. 'She just wants to avoid it, that's all. That's why she sent me off to find the others: to evade bloodshed.' He shook himself silently and fought the urge to growl. 'I'm behaving like a bloody human child, sulking because I'm not getting my way. If I don't get moving, that little blonde will send Nakago after Yume.' He didn't like the blonde girl, she was the very image of a spoiled little kid, and if he had it his way, she would not wake up the next morning. But, if he had it his way, a lot of people would not wake up the next morning, including the one he was supposed to be searching for. He really did not like the orange-haired man Tasuki but he knew that he would help Yume and what helps Yume cannot be destroyed, no matter how much he disliked the person. It wasn't as if it was anything personal, Shiriko just hates any male who thinks they can take advantage of his Yume. Which is why a lot of people who, if he had his way, would not wake up tomorrow were male adolescents who had shown too much interest in Yume. He wasn't a violent animal, he thought, he just feels that anything or anyone who could potentially harm him Yume should be destroyed before they got the chance. That's all.  
  
He sniffed the air again, trying to pick out Tasuki's scent from the jumble that filled the hallway. He had decided to find Tasuki because his scent was easy to follow, seeing as it was very similar to the forest and the forest is where Shiriko feels most comfortable. He found what he was looking for and trotted in the direction it went, the pads on his paws muting any sound they would have made. 'Yume will be fine,' he repeated to himself. 'She can take care of herself.' Indeed, she was almost as capable of taking care of herself as he was, especially now. Something had changed with her the day he had led the others to her in the forest, something beyond her hair and eye color. He just wasn't sure what it was yet. Shaking his head again, he concentrated on the trail Tasuki had unintentionally left him. He'll find him and he'll lead him to Yume, even if it means knocking him down and dragging him by his bloody stupid coat. Oh yes, nothing would stop him from saving his Yume. Not even his lack of posable thumbs.  
  
~*~ Yume's POV ~*~  
  
"What?" I asked in utter and total confusion. 'Awaken what lies within me? WTF?!'  
  
"We don't have much time to explain the details, Yume. My priestess has the second Shinzaho. Soon, she will summon me and I will become one with her. I will no longer be able to help you. Your strength will decrease upon losing mine. We need all the help we can get," Seiryuu explained. "I cannot be held responsible for what happens when the priestess gains my power."  
  
I didn't know what to say. Yui, with even a quarter of the power the gods grant me, is a terror I had not even considered possible. "What must I do?" I questioned gravely.  
  
"You have to go to the Seclusion Chamber and get in touch with the spirit that resides in you," Suzaku answered. "Only then will you possibly have enough power to stop whatever horror Nakago is planning on using Yui to release into the world."  
  
"Wait...get in touch with the spirit in me? You mean like my soul or something?"  
  
"No, Yume. You must not speak with your own soul. I am afraid I cannot explain it adequately. The one you must contact serves as a guardian of sorts. She will be able to tell you of her job far better than I can," Seiryuu answered.  
  
"A guardian? Of what? I don't understand," I told them.  
  
"We...cannot tell you. That is for her to do, if she deems you worthy," he replied.  
  
"Wait, so there's a chance I could fail? What will happen then?"  
  
All of the gods, even Genbu, looked disturbed. "Then, we don't know what will happen. Everything could work out fine: my warriors could come through, Yui could refuse Nakago his wish, the world could be saved," Suzaku responded. "Or..."  
  
"Or, the world could be destroyed: the warriors could all die and with his power Nakago could conquer all, enclosing the world in darkness, life as we know it could end," Byakko finished.  
  
"Even if you succeed in convincing her, your power may not be enough. You could still fail in the end. There is no clear way to determine the future," Genbu added, for once not sounding thrilled at the idea of my demise. "You could die in the battle."  
  
"The choice is yours, Yume. You can continue on and attempt to get more power with the knowledge that you may very well be on your way to your death and may still fail or you can try and do your best the way you are now, knowing that you did not take every option open to you," Seiryuu said. "Whatever you decide, there is no guarantee it is the right choice. The only thing we know for certain is that you must decide quickly. Time is running low, events have outpaced us more then we could have planned and as much as we wish it, they will not wait for you to make a choice."  
  
I stood there, lost. What could I do? No matter what, it may not be enough. I forced a grin on my face and nodded. "I'll do it."  
  
"Are you sure, Yume? You cannot back out now. There is no telling how long this could take. You may emerge from the chamber only to find that events in this world have already run their course and even with your power you cannot do anything to help. This is not to be made lightly," Suzaku asked.  
  
"You all keep saying I don't have time to do anything. At least this way, even if it all blows up in my face, I'll be able to say I tried everything. Besides, it'll be easy. Let's see this spirit try and deny me what's in my own head," I answered with a lot more confidence than I felt. "Now, lead the way."  
  
~*~ (Shiriko) ~*~  
  
The dog continued to track Tasuki for a good fifteen minutes without any sign that he was making any progress whatsoever until he arrived at a doorway that was left slightly agar. Poking his nose into it, Shiriko looked around hesitantly. Inside the room, however, was not what he expected. The floor was torn apart, a huge gaping hole in the center, the walls were crumbled, and all in all, it looked like one of those nuclear bomb things Yume's parents were always talking about had gone off in it. He would have left then, except that Tasuki's scent had entered the room. Sighing to himself and making a promise that he would make Yume pay for this later, he crept into the room, choosing his steps carefully. Creeping across the partially destroyed floor, he paused to sniff every few seconds and had his ears pricked up as high as they would go. It was because of this over-awareness that he managed to detect a tiny sound: the muffled noise of someone crying and trying to cover it up. The only problem was that it was coming from the whole in the floor. 'Why does this always happen to me?' he thought with a sigh, looking down at the gap in the tile. There was another floor, he noted, and a piece of debris stretched down to it. He could use that to get down there. The piece was wide enough. He just had to be careful. 'That bloody kid better bloody be down there...' he muttered in his head, starting down the "bridge."  
  
It didn't take him long to make it down to the next level, he had been practically trotting down the slope, and it took even less time for him to locate the source of the noise. It turns out Tasuki was down there, along with Mitsukake, (who Shiriko happened to like because he had once healed his leg), and the little boy Shiriko did not really know. Only, the boy was lying limp in between the others. Shiriko knew death when he saw it and the boy was definitely dead. 'This is not good, not good at all,' he thought, approaching the others. The humans were so complete in their grief that they did not even notice his presence until he reached them and sat down. Only then did they look at him.  
  
"Shiriko...If he's here than Yume can't be far behind," Tasuki muttered, wiping away the last trace of a tear from his eyes.  
  
"Katana said that she was doing something for the gods that could potentially take a while. I wonder if circumstances have changed since then," Mitsukake commented, looking thoughtfully at the dog as though he would be the one to answer his question.  
  
Shiriko gazed into the man's gaze, meeting it levelly and, when he was sure he had established eye contact well enough, nodded. 'Yes, things have changed, healer, and not for the better,' he thought. 'Sometimes I curse my inability to communicate with these humans.'  
  
"Whoa, did that dog just nod?" Tasuki asked.  
  
Shiriko nodded again. 'My, aren't we the observant one. I can't believe I am entrusting Yume's safety to him.'  
  
Mitsukake smiled. "Perhaps you underestimated this animal. He seems highly intelligent to me," he replied. "Maybe he will take us to Yume."  
  
"What can she do? I don't think she can bring back the dead," Tasuki muttered gruffly. Shiriko growled at him.  
  
"I think she may need our help."  
  
'YES!'  
  
They both looked at him suddenly and he took a step back. "Did you just hear someone yell 'yes'?" Tasuki asked, looking sideways at the dog.  
  
"Yea..." Mitsukake answered, also looking at Shiriko, (who now appeared very, very confused), rather strangely. 'Wait, I heard the yes, too, and it wasn't my voice. Therefore, they couldn't have possibly heard my thoughts. Someone else is here.'  
  
"DID HE JUST TALK TO US?!" Mitsukake exclaimed at the same time Tasuki yelled, "JUST HOW MUCH SAKE HAVE I HAD TODAY?"  
  
'Bloody hell... They can understand me? That's it. I'm screwed.' He shook his head and in doing so, caught a scent. 'Seppuka. Just who I need to make my day complete.' Seppuka was yet another person on Shiriko's list, one of the few females.  
  
"Too much if you're hearing things," a taunting voice said from the ceiling hole. A girl jumped down and Shiriko bit back a growl. "It's funny how easily you 'warriors' spook."  
  
The silver haired girl just smiled at him. Somehow, on her face, the smile seemed more threatening than friendly. She met Shiriko's eye and nodded slightly, just the merest incline of her head. 'So it had been her who had said it. I should have known.'  
  
"What are you doing here, Seppuka? I thought you were supposed to be assisting someone somewhere," Tasuki asked rather harshly. Apparently, he disliked her as much as Shiriko, if for different reasons.  
  
"I am assisting someone: you," she replied, ignoring the contempt that had been in his voice. "I am to transport you to the Konan palace. You can be of no further help here." Without waiting for a reply, she waved her hand and they were absorbed in the blue light of Seiryuu and then were gone, Shiriko among them.  
  
~*~ Yume's POV ~*~  
  
I was led to one of the buildings, a rather small looking one to the right of the center one. "This is it, Yume," Byakko informed me. "You know, you can still turn back now. No one will think less of you."  
  
I smiled at him and this time, it was not forced. It was so easy to smile at him. He gave off a kind of warm feeling. "No one except me. You make it sound so scary. All I have to do is go in this room and talk to someone in my head, right? How hard can that be?"  
  
He moved towards me and pulled me into a hug. "It's ok to be scared, Yume. Don't hide behind false sincerity," he whispered into my ear. Then, he released me.  
  
Genbu cleared his throat. "If you're done violating the general order of things, Byakko, the young girl has a job to do," he scolded, putting extra emphasis on the word "young." Byakko stuck his tongue out at him.  
  
"Well, I guess I'll be seeing you," I said. "Seiryuu, take care. I would hate it if I came back and you were already merged with that snot Yui." And with those words and a final wave over my shoulder, I entered the building and immediately felt something pass through me. My body fell to the ground and then I lost touch with it.  
  
Author's Note: So what'd you think? I finally let you all in on what's going on with the other seishi so you can all leave me alone about that and I also gave Shiriko a nice little part. (He's been ignored for a while now.) I hate to say it folks, but we're winding down to the end. With the new path I've chosen for this story, it may or may not come as soon as I thought but it will be coming up soon. A couple more fluff chapters thrown in here and there mixed with some last minute plot twists that will leave you with a general "WTF?" unless you've really been paying attention and still some that you won't totally get until the sequel. I hope that's enough to keep you reading. I will try to post chapters quicker. I promise. It's my New Year's resolution. Anyway, I will hopefully see you all next chapter...  
  
Oh, I know that the quote from last chapter didn't make it into this one. Like I stated before, I changed my plans a lot from the end of last chapter to this one. I'm sorry. Maybe it'll show up somewhere but I'm not sure. Things are changing. Everything changes. ::sighs:: And I don't know if I have a quote. Let's see if I can think of something...  
  
"Nothing in this world is free, Yume. There is always a price to pay for power."  
  
~Smack 


	33. The Price for Power

Disclaimer: I do not own Fushigi Yuugi.  
  
Thanks to...  
  
neppy: You know, you aren't the only person who said it was shorter. Word count and page wise, it was longer. It was over 3,000 words, ok? What more do you want? I liked the scene with Mitsukake and Tasuki, too. And the quote is actually in this chapter.  
  
Fool Of a Took part II: Orlando? I don't know. I used James Marsters (Spike on Angel and Buffy) as my inspiration for the hair anyway. Although this young guy who works with my mom has the same hair...Anyway, I'm glad you liked the chapter. I cried when Nuriko died so don't feel too bad.  
  
Songwind: Yeah, Shiriko is definitely one cool character. It has been a good ride, hasn't it? But don't worry, this story still has some kicks left. This chapter is one of them.  
  
chibichibi386: No problem, I like making you guys know that you are appreciated. I mean, if you take the time to read and review my story, the least I can do is thank you for it, right? And yes, it is a dangerous quote.  
  
Diana-sama: Thank you so much! It always makes me happy to know that my work is appreciated and understood. I used to update once a week but things have gotten crazy lately so it's been a month or so in between. But I'm working on it. Really. The next chapter should be up in a week or two. Maybe even in a few days. It depends on how much time I have. As for my other story, I'm working on fighting writer's block with it. Byakko is my favorite god, too. And I appreciate the editor comments because believe it or not, they actually help.  
  
Metajoker: Everyone is saying how short it was! It was actually one of the longer chapters in the story! It seemed short because I actually had some paragraphs that were more than a few sentences but it was long! This one is longer, however, and I hope it doesn't disappoint you. It doesn't disappoint me.  
  
FYfangirl26: A lot of the things will be explained eventually. This chapter does some of that but it will probably leave more questions than it actually answers but I hope it helps. And Shiriko likes to know he's loved.  
  
Alatril Carnesr: Yeah, you know, I look at my dog sometimes and just wonder what she's thinking. I mean, they have to be smarter than they we take them for, right? Or am I the only one who feels that way? Yes, well, the question of who she'll fall for should be answered pretty soon. (Just look at the quote for the next chapter.) Thanks for the review!  
  
VanyD: Yes, yes. I know. My updates have been few and far-between. But I'm working on it. In fact, as I say in the end author's note, I should start the next chapter as soon as I finish writing these little thank you notes and proofread.  
  
Otaku Pitcher: Yeah, I was wondering about that. I was like "Ok, I posted...Where's Otaku Pitcher?" And then I check and I found your review. It encouraged me to get this chapter up. In fact, (looks at clock), I've been sitting here trying to finish this chapter for close to two hours now... Man, my brain is fried. But, I have to keep going. So if there are any grammar issues, you know why...  
  
Author's Note (Finally): (falls done dead) Here it is: the chapter to rival that of any other chapter. I have no clue why, but I really, really like this chapter. I think it brings an element of darkness to this story. Up to now, in my opinion, it has been kind of light and funny. Any sad or horrible thing was met with a bit of humor. Not in this chapter. The entire thing is different from a lot of the previous chapters. I hope that doesn't discourage you from reading it. I'm kind of beat right now (I've been working on this chapter for close to two hours straight) so I'm out of witty and clever things to say about it. Give it a chance and you might find you like it. I'm off to proofread it one last time and then post it...  
  
Chapter 33: The Price for Power  
  
It turns out that it was not my body that fell to the ground, rather, my world simply turned upside down so it appeared to have fallen to the ground. Actually, my body continued forward until it reached the middle of the room and then, almost mechanically, sat down cross-legged. It took me a few moments to catch on, but I soon realized that my body and I were two separate entities. It was moving while I was stationary. 'What kind of room is this?' I thought as I gazed at my surroundings. The ceiling, walls, and floor were all made of the same flowing white material as the buildings outside. The tiles were pushed so closely together that I couldn't even see the cracks that I knew must be there. There were no windows and as I turned behind me, I noticed that there wasn't even a door to show where I had come from. The only patch of difference in entire room was a thin line of some sort of script banding across a small portion of the wall by the ceiling.  
  
"Well, I'm here. Now what?" I asked, thinking out loud. Looking at my own sitting body, I decided to follow suit. It was, after all, my only lead.  
  
I placed myself a foot away from the other me and, facing it, mimicked its stance. I felt as though I was looking in a mirror and didn't like what I was seeing. Shaking a little, I closed my eyes and tried to imagine myself in the field and forest of my mind. If this so-called "guardian" was in my mind, then I had better start to look. After the passing of a few minutes, I reopened my eyes and found that I had been somewhat successful. I wasn't in the room anymore, at least. Indeed, I was in what I could only guess was a different section of my mind, the road less traveled on, I suppose you could call it. At the moment, I found myself staring into a dark forest that looked less than inviting. There was a path, however, leading into it. Gritting my teeth, I stepped forward entering and being swallowed by the darkness.  
  
When I next regained my vision, I was floating above a battlefield. Below me, (but still floating), was a girl who appeared not much older than myself. She was surrounded by a bright aura of energy that made her appear to glow. The intensity of the light rivaled that of the midday sun. The soldiers stopped to shield their eyes and the girl spoke.  
  
"You fight for petty reasons. You do not deserve to carry those banners," she said, the coldness and indifference present in her voice was amplified so all could hear her words. As they passed through her lips a strong gust tore through the scene of carnage, ripping banners from their posts and carrying them off the field.  
  
She waited for the exclamations of astonishment and fear to end before speaking again. "The gods are displeased with your actions. Stop this meaningless fighting and go back to your women and children, those that still live. In your haste to guard your rulers' pride, you forgot that which is most important. You disgust me." And with that, another bright flash of light appeared in the sky and she was gone. I felt myself being dragged along with her.  
  
We reappeared in a throne room somewhere and it was then that I heard a voice I recognized.  
  
"Go now, Aideen. You must kill him or the war will never stop," it said. The voice was an echo of that which was heard in the girl's mind but I knew its source and suddenly things made a bit more sense. This girl, Aideen, was an Oracle, just like me, but before me. I was witnessing a portion of her life.  
  
"Yes, Suzaku. As you command, so do I obey."  
  
She exited the room and slipped into a hidden passage. I followed, entranced by what I was viewing. We re-emerged in a bedchamber of someone important, although I could not say whom it belonged to. The emperor, perhaps, or a general. A man that appeared to be in his late teens to early twenties was sitting in it. He smiled when she entered, his eyes showing his joy.  
  
"I wasn't expecting you back quite so soon, Aideen, but it matters not. You returned to me just the same," he greeted, if you can call that a greeting. "I'm glad you are safe."  
  
"I haven't returned to you, Menasha. I've come back to kill you. I cannot allow to continue your ideas of rebellion against the gods," she responded. Her voice sounded emotionless to a degree that I knew could only come from a forced voice. Something told me this man meant something to her but whether it was friend, lover, or old master, I lacked the information to tell.  
  
The look of shock that passed his face confirmed my belief: obviously he wasn't expecting this. "Very well. If you are allowing the gods to control you this much, then let us do this."  
  
He drew a sword and Aideen did the same, although from where hers came, I couldn't tell you. Menasha was obviously the more skilled fighter but Aideen had the gods in her head to make up for it. All four symbols were glowing on her body and part of me wondered if that was even possible. The other part just decided that it was simply proof of how little I actually knew about what was going on within myself. Aideen had the man on the defensive now, and was slowly gaining ground. It seemed fending off her attacks was the most he could do and even that was slowly taking everything out of him. His blade slipped and Aideen's pierced him right in the chest.  
  
"Aideen...I know...you'd...never do this to me...so I...forgive...you..." he managed to sputter in between gasps for breath. It seemed she must have hit him near the lung. After those few words, his eyes assumed the glaze of death.  
  
Aideen fell to the ground, eyes already encased in tears and sobbed. "How could I do this to him?" she cried.  
  
My vision went dark again and I found myself in another place. This one seemed to be in Aideen's world. The Oracle herself was sprawled on the bed, apparently asleep. It took me a moment to see the red gashes down both wrists before I realized she was no longer living. I shut my eyes to shield myself from her corpse and when I finally opened them again, I was back in the forest.  
  
"What you just saw was taken from the life of the first Oracle, Aideen. She could not handle the knowledge of what she had done to ensure peace in this world. The life of one man is a fair price for the peace of all but she did not believe so. Soon after returning to her world, she killed herself, as you saw," a woman's voice said from somewhere near me. The speaker emerged from the forest in front of me and I nearly gasped. She had long dark hair, brown like mine was once, and eyes the same tint as my own should be. She was my height, my build, my everything. She was me! "Does my appearance frighten you? Most people find that seeing themselves eases some of the shock out of having someone else in their minds. But if you wish, I will change. I suppose you'd rather not see Aideen again so soon, although most of the early Oracles had similar fates..."  
  
"Why don't you try appearing as yourself rather than...than stealing the bodies of others? Or don't you have your own form?" I interrupted, rather harsher than I probably should have. I couldn't help it though. The shock of seeing Aideen's corpse was too fresh in my mind to be anything but emotional. How can she talk so calmly about the fates of people in the past? Isn't she affected by the knowledge that they killed themselves at all?  
  
"My dear child," she chided. It seemed oddly mocking seeing someone who looked exactly like myself calling me "child." "I fear that as part of my service to the gods, I lost my physical form centuries ago. After all, what need do I have of a body when I spend most of my time in another's mind?" She smiled a condescending smile. "But, if you wish, I will create an image of myself as I once was. I never met an Oracle that was quite this emotional. But, I knew from my observations of you that you were a- how should I put this?- passionate individual."  
  
Her form flickered for a moment before becoming stable again. She was now taller than me, slimmer, and, overall, more mature looking. Her hair was long and a black so dark it made a night without moon or stars seem bright and her eyes were a sapphire blue. 'And the gods allowed her appearance to be "lost"?!' I couldn't help but think.  
  
"Is that better for you?" she asked. I showed my teeth in what I hope she took as a smile. "Good because we have far more important matters than my looks to discuss today. You're here to ask me for power, correct?"  
  
"Well...yeah but what was with that memory and why did I have to see it?" I replied.  
  
"That memory was the basis on which the rules for the Oracles were based on. In the days of the earliest guests from another world, their power was unlimited, the connection with the gods was stronger, and even after they returned to their own worlds, these things remained. The gods thought that by allowing them to keep their powers upon returning to their world, they wouldn't feel cheated. They also assumed that with the connection still in place, they would be able to watch over you oracles and make sure you don't do anything stupid. They failed to recognize the fact that you humans can't handle certain things, large amounts of power and a guilty conscience among them. So when they returned you to your own world with both those items...let's just say things didn't always go according to plan."  
  
"Like Aideen," I said.  
  
"Yes, like Aideen and like the two who followed her before the rules were changed. The second also committed suicide while the third went insane and had to be...exterminated. Rebellion cannot be allowed, even among oracles. You are not so invaluable that your mistakes can be tolerated. It would be best for you to remember that," the still nameless guardian responded. "Although it seems the gods have taken a peculiar liking to you."  
  
"So basically you're telling me that if I'm an obedient little girl I won't die?" I asked, forcing calm in my voice.  
  
"Exactly. You learn fast."  
  
"Any other words of wisdom or are you all out? I don't have much time so I'd really like to just get this over with. Now, preferably," I snapped.  
  
"No time for chit chat, eh? Very well. But know this, there is a price for my assistance," she breathed.  
  
"Name it."  
  
"When you leave this world, any power I give you or that you received here will be removed from you entirely," she informed me. 'That's not too bad,' I thought.  
  
"Is that all?" I asked.  
  
"Of course not. I told you that there are two things a human cannot live with, especially in cases like yours. If you returned to your world with memories of places and people that do not exist there and that you may never see again, the pain you would feel could quite possibly equal that of Aideen's or the others. You may very well kill yourself or plan a revolt as well. In light of this, the gods have required that any Oracle must have their minds purged of anything about this world when they are returned to their own. So, I'll be taking your memories as well," she added.  
  
I stood there stunned beyond words. My memories? She can take them away from me? "You mean I won't remember any of it? Not Tasuki, Chichiri, or even Nakago?" I stammered, unable to comprehend this concept. Amnesia is one thing but to have them removed from my mind? Granted, anything about Nakago would not be sorely missed, but the others? All the people I've met, even the gods...? I don't know if I could handle that.  
  
"If we let you remember them, what would you do? Wallow in your sorrow knowing you'll never see them again? Wither away in despair until all that's left is a hollow shell of what you once were? No, no, no. A quick painless break is best," she replied.  
  
"I...don't think I can do it..."  
  
"You don't have a choice, darling. It's your memories or the world. What good will a couple of recollections do you if the people who were in them are destroyed? Would you rather have a few fond pages in your memoirs of Tasuki or the knowledge that it was your own weakness that killed him? Nothing in this world is free, Yume. There is always a price to pay for power. Whether you agree or not, they will be taken from you. At least this way you may be able to make a difference in the battle that will inevitably occur between Nakago's forces and the Suzaku seishi," she continued. "If it makes you feel better, they will keep their memories of you."  
  
I still couldn't quite grip this idea. They will all remember me but it will be as if I was never here to me. I had a lot of bad experiences here, true, but also I had some good ones. Forfeiting them didn't seem fair yet keeping them and giving up even a chance to make a difference in the fate of both worlds didn't seem right, either. I don't think I'd be able to live with myself if I gave it up, no matter how much I want to. Doing anything else would be selfish to a degree that could potentially lead to the deaths of those I care about.  
  
"...Fine...I'll...do it," I told her.  
  
She smiled. "I knew you would. You're a stubborn girl, but you're not stupid. There are just a few more things we have to go over. Because of the one girl who went psycho, I can't just give you power. I will be taking a more active role in your life. Just think of me as another one of the gods. Also, any power I give you comes from within yourself. Because every person is different, the powers I release are all different. There is no guarantee of what it will be or if it will even help you in the fight. You could wind up with the ability to level mountains or something useless like being able to change your hair color. So, if it is a 'stupid' or 'trivial' power, remember that I warned in advance."  
  
"Wait, one more thing. I want to keep my memories until the very moment I enter my world, ok?" I said. "And I want to know your name."  
  
"I suppose it won't hurt anything to let you keep them until then. It's a deal then," she answered. "And as for my name, I am called Syalle. One last thing, your powers will manifest themselves when they are needed. All I do is release them. They will remain dormant until then. Now then, let's do this, shall we?"  
  
Her face took on a look of concentration and a light emanated from her hands. It grew until it was about the size of a grapefruit and then it struck me in the head. I shut my eyes on impulse and when I reopened them, I was back in the white room. A door had appeared and I opened it and exited the room, just in time to see Suzaku be consumed by a blue light.  
  
"Suzaku!!! No!!!!" I screamed. But it was too late. He was gone, vanished literally into thin air. "What happened?" I demanded of the remaining two gods.  
  
"Yui made her first wish, the Light help us all," Genbu replied, for once too shaken to include a nasty comment in his answer. But he recovered and added, "I hope you were successful, girl, because if you weren't, we are all dead."  
  
"I got my powers but I don't know what they are yet. Syalle said they will appear when my need is great or some cryptic thing like that." I took another look where Suzaku had been standing a moment before, and whispered, "I hope she's right."  
  
Author's Note: Cue the suspenseful music! I think...I might actually be proud of this chapter. I know it was a lot of dialogue, but I think it was pretty well written all around. I've been experimenting with a slightly more mature writing style lately, although I'm not sure if anyone but me will even notice the subtle difference in the language I'm using and the way things are expressed. I hope you can tell. I am trying to make this story better. Anyway, what's going on with Yume and these new powers? What will they be? (Yeah, what will they be? I haven't completely decided yet. To be perfectly honest, this entire chapter was written on a whim I had. I thought it would be kind of ironic if she couldn't remember anything, especially with the little bit of planning I've done on the sequel.) Well, that's all I've got to say on this matter. I hope you like this latest plot twist. As soon as I'm done fine-tuning this chapter and I get it posted, I'm going to work on Chapter 34 for you. Hopefully it will be up soon. As for the quote...I'll make one up for you that should appear in the next chapter.  
  
"My time here is coming to an end and I didn't want to leave without telling you the truth, Tasuki."  
  
(Just to let you know, I am grinning evilly right now.)  
  
~Smack  
  
Oh and the final word count of this chapter, (including author's notes and such) is... 3,806 words. I hope you aren't disappointed with its length. 


	34. Reunions Aren't Always Fun

Disclaimer: I don't own it. I own this.  
  
Thanks to:  
  
Fool Of a Took part II: I'm glad you agree with my comparison, though Byakko is a bit more of a softie than Spike. I'm glad I served as an inspiration and when and if you post it, let me know and I'd be glad to read it and let you know what I think.  
  
chibichibi386: I'm sorry the quote caused you annoyance, especially since I took forever to post this chapter. ::sweatdrop:: Well, I hope you like this chapter.  
  
Metajoker: I'm sorry it didn't measure up to your expectations. I hope you find this one a bit more worthy of your time although it is still informative. While I enjoy writing the more action filled chapters, the nature of this story demands that I inform the rest of you of what is going on in between the lines, since not everyone is gifted with insight into my often demented thought processes. I apologize for my bad word choice in describing the previous chapter, but at the time, it seemed somewhat dark since it involved suicide and possession. I suppose in our day and age, these topics are not quite as upsetting to everyone as I know they bother some people. Once again, I apologize and hope you enjoy this chapter more.  
  
neppy: I'm glad, you at least enjoyed that chapter. But then again, you ARE my best friend so I suppose it makes since that you can see between the lines of the story better than the people who don't know me. (Refrains from naming anyone in particular) And I'm glad you saw the differences.  
  
Atomic-Witch: Thanks for reading my story! I'm glad you like it so much! I'm kind of fond of it, too, lol.  
  
Bronze Dagger: I'm very impressed that you read the whole thing. You deserve a cookie for that (I'm serious: my friend wanted a copy so I went through and revised the whole thing...it took me forever. I still haven't gotten around to posting the changes...) I'm glad you enjoyed it.  
  
Author's Note: Yeah. I know. I haven't updated in (::checks calendar and counts::) over three months. I'm sorry. Really! I am. I haven't had time and when I did have time, I didn't know what to write. As we near the end of this story, I am finding it harder and harder to express in words what my mind says should happen in this story. And for that, I apologize and humbly ask you to stick with me. I already have the very ending written out along with the epilogue that should, if I ever get around to planning it, lead into the sequel perfectly. But anyway, this next chapter is decently long, although some of you might find it a bit boring since rather than writing some stuff out, I did a brief recap and moved forward with the plot. I hope you don't mind.  
  
Chapter 34: Reunions Aren't Always Fun  
  
I was lying on my back on a bed that would never be completely comfortable counting the tiles that make up the ceiling of a room that couldn't hold a candle up to the one I left behind at home in a dress too expensive for my taste. The meeting with the emperor went as well as could be expected, all things considered. Poor Hotohori had a lot to grasp in a short period of time, I suppose, finding out that I was a spy, just like he had thought in the very beginning, but am now the Oracle, which puts me in a place of more power than he himself holds so he can't even punish me. Along with that, him and the other Suzaku warriors had to deal with the fact that their patron god, the one who granted them their special abilities, was now sealed, taking their powers with him. Add that to the fact that most of them haven't gotten over my "betrayal" and you can start to grasp what they are feeling. I don't even pretend that the others will ever fully trust me again but that no longer stung as much as it had before. After everything I've gone through and have yet to face, the fact that a couple people I'll never see again don't trust me just doesn't faze me anymore. It's not like I'll remember them, anyway. 'Though I did like the looks on everyone's faces when I popped in on them in their little meeting, dressed like I was. I have to hand it to the gods, they do know how to impress people,' I thought with a barely suppressed laugh. 'Although I was a bit surprised as well at the fact that Hotohori took a wife. I can't believe she thought she could tell me I couldn't fight in the upcoming battle. Like her or the emperor have a say in the matter.' I didn't try to contain the laughter that time: I needed a good laugh.  
  
After my meeting with Syalle in the Seclusion Chamber, the gods had thought it best that we work as effectively and efficiently as possible. For me, that meant that I had to have a bit of an upgrade appearance wise. Both Genbu and Byakko felt that it would be easier for me to convince the others of my position if I looked like an Oracle, rather than one of Hotohori's harem members. So they gave me a quick "make-over," including a quick rinse and some very strange yet mildly appealing clothing that seemed to be permanently blowing in an unseen wind. Miraculously, it worked. While the warriors still looked at me with barely concealed distrust, they listened to what I had to say and accepted the fact that for once, I knew more than they did. I could have almost been happy, but I'm not. Not even close.  
  
Shiriko nudged my hand, bringing my thoughts back to the more immediate present, the one where I'm stuck in a place where just about everyone hates me and, though they'd never admit it, I was basically under house arrest. I pet my dog's head absent-mindedly, returning to my thoughts. I had been happy to see him, ecstatic, really, but had experienced slight dismay at the lack of my bag. I must have left it in Kutou, which really sucked since it has all of my belongings from my own world, along with the box that Taiitsu-kun had given me. 'If that falls into the wrong hands...' I thought for probably the hundredth time since I realized it was missing. 'Stop worrying, Yume. You have a lot to do, remember?' Byakko chided. 'Yeah, I know, but I can't help it. I have no clue what I'm supposed to do. I may have fooled the others with my "omniscient Oracle" bit but you know I don't even know what my powers are yet! What if it's something stupid? Nakago will kill me...I'm doomed...' 'We believe in you, Yume. You'll be fine. Now rest,' the tiger god ordered.  
  
I sighed but declined a response. It's easy for them to have confidence in me: they're gods. They could beat Nakago no problem. I, however, am just another stupid kid. I have no clue what I'm doing. There's no way I can beat Nakago by myself. I don't even know how I did it the first time. But there's no use in telling them that. They have complete and total faith in me. I'm the Oracle. Whether I think I can or not, defeating Nakago is my responsibility. No one else can do it. Well, other people can do it but no one but me is allowed to do it. It's up to me. The pressure, however, is killing me.  
  
I got up and straightened the stupid dress, suddenly finding it more restricting than appealing. Every time I smoothed a wrinkle out, the "unseen wind" put it back. It's enough to steal back the shred or calm I had recovered. The dress was just another prop tying me to the image I have created for myself, just one more thing keeping me from what I really want to do: escape. I needed someone to talk to but ever since my interrogation at Taiitsu-kun's, my only friends have been my dog and the voices in my head. Not very good options but they beat talking to my so-called "assistants." 'Maybe Chichiri will talk to me,' I thought. 'It's either him or the emperor. They both should know what I'm going through.' Whether or not they'll care is a completely different story, one I did not feel like thinking about at the moment.  
  
Having reached a decision, I headed for the door and set off in search of the monk. I immediately thought to go to his room but decided against it. Too many other people I'd rather not face at the moment inhabit that hallway as well. The last thing on earth I wanted to do right then was wind up running into Tasuki. He was, after all, about a third of the problem. I had come to terms with the fact that I cared about him sometime during the period we spent apart, but by now I know it's too late to do anything about it. Once again, I'm a step behind, too slow to ever reach my goal when it is attainable. Sighing deeply, I turned instead to the courtyard. It was a perfect day for fishing; at least I hoped Chichiri would think so. The sky was nearly cloudless and it was warm but not hot. Sure enough, in his usual spot, sat Chichiri, fishing pole in hand. He looked up as I approached but due to the mask he always wore, I couldn't tell if he was happy to see me or not.  
  
"Hi, Chichiri," I greeted hesitantly, hoping he'd at least let me speak to him.  
  
"Good afternoon, Yume. Would you like to join me? It's been a while since I've had company when I was fishing," he replied, gesturing to the place next to him.  
  
I sat in the place he indicated after murmuring a "thank you" but didn't know where to go from there. Thinking about talking about your fears is one thing, but actually giving voice to them is another. Luckily for me, he read my mind and solved the problem for me.  
  
"I was going to look for you later today so I'm glad you found me," he said. Unsure of how to respond, I muttered something unintelligible I hoped he'd take for a proper response. "I wanted to tell that what I told you the last time we sat here together still stands: if you ever need someone to talk to, I'm here for you."  
  
Despite all the restrictions I try to put on my emotions to keep them from taking control of me, at his words I broke down. Even after all the trouble I caused them, that he was still willing to be there for me astounded me. "Chichiri...I... I... Thank you," I stammered, finally letting go of all the emotions that had been building up and allowing them to come forth, collapsing into ragged sobs in the process. Something about him always makes me take my guard down. "I...I...don't know what to do...I'm so...scared... I can't fight Nakago again... He'll...kill me...He said he was going to... going to..." I couldn't finish. It was all too much. Another round of tears seized me.  
  
"Shh...it's ok, Yume. It'll all be ok," he assured, holding me to his chest and smoothing my hair. We remained like that for the better part of a half- hour: me, crying like a baby and him smoothing my hair and whispering comforting words. Finally, a break came in the sobs and he talked again. "Nothing's going to happen to you. Now, wipe away those tears before you ruin your dress and tell me what's bothering you, ok?"  
  
I pushed myself off of him and did as I was told, feeling like a complete idiot. "I'm sorry, Chichiri. I don't know what came over me. I feel so stupid crying like that. At least you have something to tell the others. This will give them a good laugh," I said bitterly, wiping my eyes with the back of hand.  
  
"I'm not going to tell the others, Yume. I said I was here for you, that doesn't mean I'm going to listen to you and then tell everyone what you said," he replied seriously. "Consider it Oracle-monk privilege, you know." I couldn't help but laugh at that and he gave me a weak smile, visible now that he wasn't wearing his mask. "Now then, are you going to tell me what's wrong or are you going to leave me guessing?"  
  
"I'll tell you, now that I know it's under the protection of the Oracle- monk privilege," I said with mock seriousness. He gave me a playful shove, something I don't recall ever seeing him do before, and, despite the lingering depression I felt, I smiled at him. "I just don't know what I'm doing. I'm going to wind up failing miserably and Nakago will win. You guys should just send me to him now and get it over with. It will buy you some time before he attacks, at least."  
  
"Yume! You should know that in spite of everything, you're still a friend and we're not just going to send you to Nakago so he can kill you, you know," he exclaimed. "Besides, the time we'd get to prepare for the attack while he kills you won't be enough to really make a difference so we might as well keep you around as an extra maid or something."  
  
I sighed. "He doesn't want to kill me, Chichiri, so you might get more time than you think from sending me over there. I won't hold it against you if you change your mind," I replied dully. Understanding slowly dawned on his face followed by a look of intense discomfort. "I can leave if you want, Chichiri. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable."  
  
"It's...it's ok, Yume. Now at least I understand some of your distress. I wouldn't want to go back to him, either."  
  
"I don't really have a choice. I have to face him eventually," I told him grimly. "Besides, he was the one who brought me here. I might as well give him what he wants." The expression on my face must have been far from comforting because Chichiri pulled me into another embrace.  
  
"It's ok to be scared, Yume. Everyone is once in a while," he said into my hair.  
  
"I know, but now is not the time," I responded, pulling away and standing up. "Thanks for the moral support. I have a couple more things to take care of before I call it a night so I'm going to get going."  
  
"Don't mention it, Yume. You may be hard to deal with from time to time but I still like you, you know. Most of the time, anyway," he added with a grin.  
  
"The feeling's mutual, Chichiri," I chuckled. "See you around."  
  
"Good luck talking to Tasuki," he called after me.  
  
I turned back to him, my eyes narrowing accusingly. "Can you read minds or something?" I asked.  
  
"Just yours."  
  
"I knew it." He laughed and I headed back into the palace to seek out Tasuki.  
  
I was still only half sure that I wanted to talk to him. Somehow, talking to Chichiri made me realize that some things have to be faced while others you can run away from. Add that to the fact that I'm not going to remember it anyway and you get my current feeling on the matter: "Why the hell not?" Perhaps it's not the best philosophy, I'm sure a lot of mistakes were made by people who felt that way, but that's how I feel and that's what I'm doing. I'll never forgive myself if I don't at least try.  
  
I reached his door in little time and knocked timidly, hoping to find him by himself. I wasn't even sure if he knew I was back yet; he wasn't at the meeting I crashed. "Just a sec," a gruff voice said from the interior of the room. The door opened and the occupant stood in the doorway, looking at me, his thoughts cleverly hidden behind an unrevealing face. "What do you want?" he demanded, the slight strain in his voice giving away a bit of his thoughts, (along with his eyes that kept drifting downward).  
  
For once to nervous to care where his eyes were drifting, I asked, "Can we please talk?"  
  
"I don't know why I'm doing this, but fine. We can talk. Come in," he answered, moving out of the doorway to let me in. The room was messy, I noted, and had a definite Tasuki smell. I didn't realize how much I missed him until I found myself standing in his room, surrounded by his things and his scent. He shut the door roughly, waking me from my little spell, and took a seat on the bed, gesturing to a chair for me.  
  
"Thanks," I said.  
  
We just sat there for a few minutes, trapped in an awkward silence. I didn't know how to tell him what I knew I had to before the end: it might not make a difference, but I had to try. I won't remember anyway. He just looked at the wall behind my head, carefully not allowing his gaze to rest on me for more than a second. Whatever he was feeling right then seemed to come from my presence and I wasn't sure whether it was good or bad.  
  
Finally, I spoke up. "Tasuki... I..." I began.  
  
"Let me guess: you're sorry? I've heard, from both you and those two voices you sent to tell me a while back," he interrupted, sounding overly abrupt, as though just talking to me caused him discomfort.  
  
"That's not what I was going to say," I lied. "I'm going to be leaving soon -for good this time- and I needed to tell you the truth." I took a deep breath and continued. "When you told me how you felt about me, despite it not being the best of times or ways, I didn't know how to react. It's not everyday that a really great guy professes his love to you. On one hand, I was numb from just the day but still ecstatic, and on the other, I knew it could never be. I mean I was working for your enemy at the time. I thought that by letting you down initially, I was protecting both you and myself. I didn't consider that my own feelings for you would make getting over you so hard.  
  
"I guess what I'm trying to say is that I hope one day you'll forgive me. I know there's no chance for us to be any more than friends but I hope we can go back to the way things once were."  
  
He had remained silent during my entire confession and when I looked at him now, I could see words on the verge of being spoken but being forced back. There was a knock on the door and then it opened, admitting Tamahome. He looked from me to Tasuki, obviously confused but reading the atmosphere.  
  
"Well, there's goes my news," he said quickly. "I'll come back later."  
  
"No, it's fine, Tamahome. Yume was just leaving," Tasuki replied, his voice thick with repressed emotion. What that emotion was, I couldn't tell.  
  
I muttered an excuse and rushed past Tamahome, tears already forming in my eyes. I hurried through the halls, hoping to make it back to my room before I broke down and by the time my door was shut behind me, I was bawling. After all I went through, I had managed to get up the courage to tell him my feelings and exactly what I had feared would happen did. I sat in a heap on the floor of my room, Shiriko's head in my lap and, for the second time that day, cried my eyes out.  
  
He watched Yume leave, even after she was no longer visible, cursing his stubbornness. Tamahome studied his face, searching for some clue as to what caused Yume to leave like that, though he had his guesses. He couldn't help but feel sorry for her just then, practically running from the room to keep them from seeing the tears that were no doubt running freely down her face now. Despite his better judgment, Tamahome put a hand on Tasuki's shoulder and spoke up.  
  
"I don't claim to know a lot about girls, especially the ones from another world, but I can give you a few pointers if you want," he said to the bandit.  
  
Tasuki turned his gaze to his friend, who nearly wilted under the barely held back intensity of it. "Nah. There's nothing to give advice about. She just came to tell me that she'd be leaving soon." 'And how she felt about you! Why didn't you just speak up? Maybe, if you had said something she'd be willing to stay here with you!' his mind yelled at him.  
  
Tamahome looked at him skeptically. "Ok...but my offer stands. Judging by the look on her face, that's not all that happened here..."  
  
"I don't think you came here to give me relationship advice, Tamahome, but if you did you can just shove it and leave 'cause I don't want it," he snarled.  
  
"You're right. I came here to go over what happened in the meeting that you decided to skip..." Tasuki only half-listened to Tamahome talk about battle plans, his mind somewhere else, consoling someone who probably would not want to see him again.  
  
Author's Note: That wasn't the best chapter. Yume was moody. Let me guess, that's exactly what you all were thinking? Well, then I am going to use this author's note to provide insight into Yume's poor tortured mind. She's been through a lot lately, and the only people she's been able to talk to are the voices in her head, her assistants (for a bit anyway) and the crotchety old lady known as Taiitsu-kun. No one of the above really cares what's she's feeling and so she's pretty much a friendless loser going through some tough times. Chichiri's acceptance shocked her to the point that her natural barriers snapped and she just cried. Something about him, power of suggestion, perhaps, made her think that she had to talk to Tasuki so she tried. The speech she had prepared in her head over and over again but never actually planned to say. Does that help? I hope so. Anyway, I hope that chapter wasn't that boring or bad. I'll try to get the next one up in a decent amount of time, since I have some idea of where I want it to go. I think I might actually work on the plot in that one. Don't all fall down at once. Well, I don't have a quote...but I'll make one up for you...  
  
"Of...of course. Please," I gestured to the interior of my chamber, unsure of how to react to this strange twist. "My room is your room...literally."  
  
Heh heh. Hotohori gets a role. Hopefully, I don't write that scene out. I liked it.  
  
Smack 


	35. Hotohori, Psychiatrist Extraordinaire

Disclaimer: I still don't own it...  
  
Thanks to...  
  
FYfangirl26: It's ok that you missed one chapter. The important thing is that you came back and reviewed. I'm glad you liked both chapters and I'd say more, but, well, I'm just not awake.  
  
Metajoker: I'm sorry the paragraphs were long but the entire chapter can't be dialogue. And I don't think I'm leaving you in the dark. Nothing important happened so I didn't write the scene. End of story. And, not to be bitchy, but stories ARE blocks of words... Heh heh. I guess some of my wittiness returned...  
  
Songwind: I didn't die. (yet) I have suspicions that a few of my friends want to kill me but as of yet, they haven't succeeded. And Yume thanks you for your understanding. .  
  
chibichibi386: Wahoo! Ten more years to my life! That's enough time that I might actually finish this story!  
  
Otaku Pitcher: Yay! Somebody liked it! I missed you last chapter. I was like, "No...Otaku Pitcher didn't review! Could she finally have gotten fed up with my bad update habits?" But you came back so I'm happy. And, someday, Tasuki and Yume might actually resolve their "problems."  
  
neppy: I'm just glad you reviewed. Sexy wolf boys are so great. She should have slapped him. I'll keep that in mind and have her slap someone at some point. Heh heh, maybe Lucien. I'm sorry you were confused. I thought it was clear. Oh well.  
  
Author's Note: Hey! Look! I'm updating and it hasn't even been four months! Go me! Just kidding. Anyway, here's chapter 35. I hope you guys all like it, and, well, my brain is kind of fried at the moment because I've wrote this chapter as I was typing it and I've been sitting here for several hours so do forgive me if I don't say anything witty in my author's notes this chapter. I do have a little contest for you, though. It's explained in the end author's note. I'm tired... Here's your chapter...  
  
Chapter 35: Hotohori, Psychiatrist Extraordinaire  
  
After the better part of an hour, I had managed to stop crying but getting up was just too much for me to do. Everything was so screwed up. If I had known that all of this would happen to me back then, I wouldn't have taken Shiriko for a walk that day. I probably would still have ended up here somehow, though, since it was "pre-destined" and all. What does it mean to be "destined" anyway? Who is it that decides what should and should not happen in the lives of others? 'Whoever it is,' I thought grimly, 'I'd like to have a word with them.' But that would never happen. It's not fair, but then nothing else is, either. I was starting to realize this, slowly but surely, during my stay in this world.  
  
There was a knock at my door, drawing my attention from my thoughts and returning it to the present.  
  
"Whoever it is," I called half-heartedly, "I don't want to talk to you. Leave me alone."  
  
"Yume..." Hotohori's voice replied from behind my closed door, "can I please come in?"  
  
Out of everyone I expected to harass me at this moment, the emperor was definitely not on the list. Shocked into action but this strange twist, I got up, dusted myself off, and opened the door.  
  
"I'm sorry, your highness, I did not know it was you," I said to him.  
  
"Please, Yume, suspend the formalities. We are both servants of Suzaku now. Consider me your equal," he requested. 'Well, if you wanted to look at it that way, emperor, Yume would be your superior, since she's the Oracle and you are just a lowly warrior. Your allegiance would be to her, as she serves us directly,' Byakko commented in my mind. "May I come in?"  
  
"Of...of course. Please," I said, gesturing to the interior of my chamber, unsure of how to act. "My room is your room...literally."  
  
He smiled and entered, taking a seat in one of the chairs. "Relax, Yume. I just came to talk to you," he said.  
  
"About what?" I asked, dreading the response.  
  
"You." That one syllable word was said in such a significant way that I feared what might come of it.  
  
"What about me? Do you want to know my favorite color or what I want to be when I grow up or...?" I questioned, knowing that he was referring to something entirely different.  
  
"A lot has changed since I last spoke with you, with both of us. I have a few things to discuss with you."  
  
"Ok...shoot," I replied, growing more worried by the second.  
  
"Chichiri informed me of the events of the journey, as he saw them. The others added their own stories. I wish to hear yours," he stated plainly.  
  
"Uh...I'm sure whatever the others told you gave you a pretty accurate account of the whole affair. I'm sorry," I answered truthfully. "That's all I can say to you. I don't know what you want from me or what you expect to hear, but frankly, I'm sick of justifying my actions. I didn't have much of a choice. If I could turn back time, I can assure you that I would do things differently. Trust me on that one."  
  
"I do. For some reason, I do believe you would do things differently, if you could. You have done things which rectify the small wrongs that you are guilty of and for that, I thank you," he replied. "However, it appears you have been crying. What troubles you?"  
  
I tried to smile reassuringly at him. "Nothing, really. I guess I just miss my home," I lied.  
  
He took my smile as sincere and patted my shoulder awkwardly, obviously unused to providing comfort or unsure if physical contact with me was a good thing. "It must be hard for you. I...never took into consideration the stress and pressure put on you. I knew it was tough on Miaka but somehow I never extended that feeling to you. I suppose it is because you two are so different." He smiled again. "Do you want to talk about it?"  
  
"No, not really. I'm fine now. I've shed my tears and I'm ready to move on. Supper must be soon, right?" I answered, effectively changing the subject.  
  
He laughed. "Now you really do sound like Miaka. I'm sure dinner is about to be served. Come on, I'll walk with you."  
  
"Thanks, I'd be glad to have the company, but don't you want to spend time with your wife?" I asked, hoping he'd take the suggestion and leave. I wasn't hungry and had no desire to go to dinner escorted by the emperor and with everyone there. Plus, all this "niceness" was unnerving me. It's just not normal.  
  
"I will see her there. She understands that I have a duty to my people and it seems to me that you need company far more that she does. She, after all, has all her maids to talk to," he responded, taking my arm into the crook of his and leading me from my room and my peace.  
  
I looked helplessly over my shoulder at Shiriko, who sat on my bed watching me. I swear he was laughing at me. "Are you implying that you feel sorry for me because you think I don't have any friends?" I questioned, testily, hoping he'd get fed up with me and leave me alone.  
  
"No...I meant that she has people who are forced to listen to her while all you have is your dog. Besides," he added noticing that the hole he was in was getting deeper by the second, "you've been through some things that someone so young should never have to go through and are going to have to make some hard decisions in the near future, as you are now in a position of power. With power comes responsibility and this is something you and I both have in common. I thought you might want to talk to someone who understands your situation."  
  
'You don't know the half of my situation, Hotohori, but I appreciate the gesture,' is what I felt like saying. What I said, however, was, "I thank you for your concern, but like I said, I'm fine. If I have any questions, I won't hesitate to ask them."  
  
We walked the rest of the way in a companionable silence; me wondering how I'm going to get out of staying at dinner and Hotohori no doubt pondering some royal concern, like how to keep his hair up in the little hat he wears without getting hat hair. As we neared the hall, the smells of food began to take their toll on my digestive tract and the hunger returned, edging away at my resolve. 'I guess I can stay for a bit. Just to grab some food. Then I'll go. He might not even be there yet. No harm in staying for a few minutes...' I decided as we reached the doorway. I stopped before the door and took my arm out of the emperor's.  
  
"Thanks for the company, your highness. I really don't deserve it," I said, doing my best to smile at him.  
  
"Nonsense. You know," he replied, "that hair color really brings out the intensity of your eyes. Were they always that green or did you dye them, too?"  
  
I couldn't help but laugh. "Hotohori! Was that a joke I heard you speak? I don't know what's come over you!" I exclaimed, mock shock in my voice. "But, since you asked, I didn't dye them. They came with the job title, hair, and scars."  
  
"So it was divine intervention?" he inquired, smiling.  
  
"I guess so."  
  
"Ok then. My questions are answered. Shall we go in or make them wait a bit more?"  
  
"Let's go in. I'm kind of hungry."  
  
"Me too."  
  
"And Hotohori?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Thanks."  
  
"You're welcome."  
  
And with that, we entered the room, the smiles still on our faces. The room went silent as they saw us; not a word was spoken. I would have expected this upon my entrance but for some reason, I had thought things would be different with Hotohori with me, almost like things would go back to the way they were before. I should have known better. Hotohori took his seat and the warriors and priestess went back to talking. My assistants, who were never chatty, kept their gazes on me. I passed my eyes over the table, looking for a place to sit, and found a seat next to Chichiri.  
  
I was ignored for the most part during dinner, which suited me fine all things considered. Towards the end, I realized that someone was missing. "Where's Chiriko?" I asked Chichiri. I must have said it louder than I thought because a hush settled over the table.  
  
"Perhaps we should go for a walk, Yume. Are you finished?" he suggested.  
  
"I don't want to go for a walk, Chichiri. I want you to tell me Chiriko is here but just not hungry," I replied, an edge in my voice.  
  
"I can't do that."  
  
"Then I want to know what happened."  
  
"I really don't think that this is the place to talk about it, Yume. Let's go out into the garden... I'll tell you there."  
  
"Why does it matter where you tell me?" I asked.  
  
"I guess it doesn't," he conceded finally. "He was killed, Yume. In Kutou."  
  
Although my mind had reached that conclusion earlier, it hadn't quite sunken in. I guess hearing it aloud made me realize that it had happened. "Tell me, Chichiri, when were you planning on telling me this?"  
  
"We hadn't thought to tell you, Yume. I guess I thought you already knew."  
  
"Well, I didn't." 'How could I have known?' I wanted to ask. 'How could this have happened? I sent Katana, Renee, Seppuka, and Fae to keep that kind of thing from happening! What was he doing there, anyway? He was too young to brought on that kind of mission! What were you thinking!?' But I didn't ask those questions. "Was it Soi?" I questioned, sounding surreally calm.  
  
"No and if it's revenge you're thinking of, you're too late. Chiriko already did it."  
  
"Revenge is not what I was thinking of. Soi was angry because she was not allowed to kill me. I thought she might have taken it out on him," I replied before getting up and leaving the room, ignoring the looks of confusion on their faces. No doubt they were wondering what I meant by saying she wasn't allowed to kill me, but that didn't matter to me. I just needed to get out of there. Where I went or what they thought were of no importance to me.  
  
'And what about you two? Was preparing me for that out of the question or something?' 'Err...to tell you the truth, Yume, what with Suzaku being sealed and everything, we kind of forgot about the kid. I would have told you had I thought of it,' Byakko responded. 'He was Suzaku's warrior, not ours. He did what he had to do,' was Genbu's response. 'That's just great. He doesn't matter, is that what you're trying to say?' I mentally exclaimed. Byakko said no just as Genbu said yes. 'You know, I just can't deal with this right now. I've had enough drama for one day. God, can't something good ever happen in this place?!' They didn't respond and I didn't care.  
  
It was some time late in the night before I returned to my room. I couldn't be there; I couldn't be anywhere where I might be found. I just didn't want to talk to anyone. I had nothing to say. Having nothing to change into, I slept in the clothes I was wearing. It was a dreamless sleep, or if I did dream I didn't remember them. Despite the late hour I went to bed, I woke early and grabbed some food straight from the kitchen, not wanting to go to another meal with everyone. I ate as I walked, and found myself outside the area where I had once gotten a dress and a bath. I took advantage of the early hour and helped myself to some new clothing before washing myself. Adorned in a dress of this world and a hooded cloak, I could almost pass for a resident of the city. I returned to my room and grabbed Shiriko before heading into the city.  
  
I had no desire to mingle with the commoners, so to speak, so I followed a road that led through the city and into the open fields where I had been chased by Chichiri and Tasuki the first time I "met" them. It never struck me as careless to go out into an unfamiliar city by myself, but then again, I never really thought about what I was doing. I just did it. I was still separated from reality and so did not see the consequences of my actions. The others were no doubt wondering where I was, or would be shortly, and no one saw me leave to tell them. The only person I spoke to were the people working in the kitchen and as far as they knew, I was just grabbing a bite to eat. 'I should probably go back. The last thing I need is them to start worrying about me.' I looked over at the fields again and sighed. It was peaceful here. That was when I noticed it. There was a glint in the corner of my eye, a little flash of light. I turned around again but saw nothing.  
  
"Very careless of you, Yume, to travel alone in unfamiliar territory," a voice I dreaded said to the left of me.  
  
Hoping to see nothing but knowing I would not, I whirled around and came face to face with Tomo. How he could have gotten so close without me knowing was beyond my comprehension. "What do you want?" I snarled, preparing for the worst. Shiriko was at my side, growling.  
  
"To deliver something to you. You left it in Mistress Yui's room and Nakago thought you might want it back." He tossed my bag to my feet. I eyed it suspiciously for a moment before returning my glare to the wannabe clown. "He would have delivered it himself but he was much too busy preparing for the upcoming war. He just doesn't have the time anymore. I'm sure you understand. However, don't be too discouraged. He told me to tell you that he will be returning in person shortly to retrieve you."  
  
"What if I don't want to be 'retrieved?' I rather like being lost, thank you," I snapped.  
  
"Well, you have two choices, Yume. Whichever you choose is totally up to you. You can come peacefully back to him when he comes for you and no blood will be shed or you can refuse and the war will continue and innocents will be killed all because of you."  
  
"How stupid do you think I am? Nakago will continue this war; all my going to him will do is delay him a bit, if that. No, I think you can just tell Nakago to shove it."  
  
"You can tell him yourself when he comes for you. And he will come," Tomo answered before disappearing.  
  
"Bastard! I won't go back, you hear me?! I won't go!" I yelled to the air. "I won't go..."  
  
I bent over and picked up my bag after unleashing a string of curses and mutterings that do not need to be repeated and found everything to be in place, including the ornate box. Only then did I sigh in relief. The clothes and textbooks would have meant little to me if it hadn't been there. Although I was surprised to have it returned to me without a problem, it unnerved me more that Tomo knew I would be here. 'Unless, he didn't know I would be here, but happened to see me when he was on his way to the palace. Maybe it was just an unlucky coincidence.' I didn't dwell on these thought for too long, though, because other matters were slightly more urgent at the moment. The others had to be told that Nakago was coming for me. 'Perhaps they'll be able to do something to trap him.' I couldn't help but wonder why he would send Tomo to tell me he was coming for me. 'He had to know I would tell someone. Even he can't think I'm stupid enough not to mention it. Even if it's a bluff, the added surveillance would make it harder for him, wouldn't it?' I asked myself. But I didn't know. I don't know much about these sort of things. I'm not a tactician. I'm just a stupid girl who's out by herself when she should be safe inside the palace.  
  
And with that thought, I headed back to said palace as fast as I could without running.  
  
Author's Note: I know that chapter wasn't that long. Truth is, I ran out of things to say. It was decent in length, I think. The next chapter is when the plot will really start returning. A battle will happen in the next chapter or so and Yume's power will be revealed. Oh! I know! You guys can try and guess her power! If you get it right, you'll get...something really good. I don't know what the prize will be yet but that's ok since I don't think you'll get it. ::grins:: Anyway, back to commenting on the chapter. I don't think this chapter was that bad, still not one of my favorites but that's all right. I hope you guys liked it. There was a lot of dialogue so it's word count is low, which makes me sad. : ( But content wise I think it was a pretty successful chapter. She had to find out about Chiriko eventually, right? Right?! Yeah...I think I'm going to stop this note now. I'll try and have a chapter up every other week or so but I can't promise anything. I have driver's ed five days a week during the heart of the day when I would normally update (with the exception of now when I'm updating at a random hour) and that will not give me much time. But I'll do my best. I want to finish this story probably as much as you want me to finish it so I'll try. Anyway, let me think of a quote...I don't have one yet (again).  
  
"What the fuck?"  
  
Ok, so that isn't a great quote but I'm pretty sure it will be used at least once in the next chapter. Truth is, I'm not sure what I want to include in the next chapter. I haven't written it yet. There's a lot that should be put it but the details have yet to be planned. Sorry...  
  
Smack 


	36. Innocently Holy, Wholly Innocent

Disclaimer: I don't own it.Thanks to...Alatril Carnesr: Thanks a lot for the review and the encouraging words. It means a lot. Computers are evil...evil I say!neppy: Hehehe.Metajoker: Sorry it was difficult to read. Sometimes long paragraphs are required. There are not many of them in this chapter, though. Thanks for telling me about the author note as chapter thing. I actually forgot about that and I would hate to get in trouble for it. I appreciate it.Chibi Chingo: Wahoo! A new reviewer! Thanks!Shinitenshi-deathangel: I continued it. Thanks for the words of encouragement. Sometimes, I need them.chibichibi386: Thank you! I won't give up even though my puter hates me.Houjun Ri: Yes Tomo did die but in circumstances that revolved around the whole Miaka rape thing and that didn't happen so he didn't die. And thanks for waiting!Noodles8: Well, thanks for giving my story a chance and taking the time to reply. I try to keep the author's notes relatively humorous and I'm glad you enjoy them.SpaceVixon: Read the chapter and enjoy. Y/T moments have to happen eventually. (hint hint)Author's Note: Ok, my computer still hates me but I decided to update anyway. I realized after I shut it down that I could have printed out the chapter and then I wouldn't have had to rewrite it but because I am impulsive, I didn't think of it at the time. Oh well. I had tons of fun writing this chapter and, although I found most of it was prewritten and scattered around my room, changed it a bit from the original. But it's better this way, trust me. ::dumb grin:: Thanks a lot for all of your support. To tell the truth, I honestly didn't expect any replies to my mini rant (that I found out was breaking the rules of fanfiction) but it meant a lot to me. In truth, it's what inspired me to sit here for close to three hours and do nothing but type. I haven't even had breakfast yet. Just coffee. ::sighs:: I'm hungry so I'm going to end this and finish this up so I can have food... Oh, and I had no clue what to call this chapter so just go with it. (I was going to call it "Sex, Drugs, and Rock n Roll" but went with this instead...)**Chapter 36: Innocently Holy, Wholly Innocent**I reached the palace in what might be, in my opinion, record time. I paid dearly for it, though. By the time I passed through the gates, the adrenaline had worn off and all I was left with was a bad cramp and a lack of breath. Shiriko, however, wasn't even fazed. 'I'm so out of shape,' I thought as I rubbed my side in a futile attempt to relieve the pain in it. 'This is one of those times I find myself wishing I didn't scoff at the track unit in gym...'"And she returns! Where the hell have you been? The emperor was just about ready to send out the guards!" I heard Tamahome yell from a short distance off. I looked up and saw him walking towards me, an annoyed expression on his face. It clearly wasn't my day. "Personally, I don't think you're worth the trouble but he seems to think you are.""Glad to know you care so much about my well-being," I replied dryly, still slightly out of breath. "I went for a walk. Now, it was great seeing you and all but I really, really must be going.""Is that all you have to say for yourself?! You 'went for a walk'!" he exploded."Yup.""That's just great, Yume. Just great," he commented."Isn't it though?" I replied, smiling, savoring this moment. After what he put me through during my little "interrogation" it was nice to be the one doing the torturing. It was a cruel thought but I found myself unable to care. "Now, like I said, I have to be going. As you can see, I'm perfectly fine so I'll just be on my way.""Where are you off to in such a hurry, anyway? You've been gone all morning, why the sudden rush?" he asked. I exhaled deeply, trying to keep from screaming."To see the emperor. I need to talk to him. It's very important that I do so soon. Now, preferably," I answered, hoping he'd catch on and leave me alone. I had no such luck, however."I'm sure it is but Hotohori is in the middle of a meeting right now. Why don't you tell me and I'll tell you if it's important enough to disturb him," he said, a confident smirk on his face. 'I'd love to wipe that look right off his face...'"It's really none of your concern. It can't wait so I'll just be going now. I know where his office is." I started to walk away, hoping he'd give it up."You can't just walk into the emperor's meeting, Yume! Who do you think you are?!" he screamed after me."Last time I checked, I was the Oracle. Now, warrior," I began, placing extra emphasis on the inferior title, "do me a favor and go find someone to protect."Hotohori's meeting room was actually what I'd call the throne room of the imperial palace. It was naturally ornate and was located in the center of the complex, not all that far from where I was. It took me next to no time to get there. I left Shiriko outside the room, deciding that it would be better if I didn't take him with me. Contrary to the way Tamahome made it sound, only Chichiri and Hotohori were in the room."You're safe! I'm so glad!" Hotohori exclaimed upon noticing me."Suzaku be praised!" Chichiri added."But now is really not the best time. Chichiri and I are going over some plans. We can talk later, alright?" Hotohori said, already dismissing me from his presence."No, actually, it's not alright. I need to talk to you and it's probably better for me to do so as soon as possible," I replied, doing my best to keep the doubt I was feeling from my voice. I couldn't help but wonder if he'd believe me. If I didn't have my bag, I don't know if I'd even believe me. 'Now is not the time to start doubting myself,' I thought, mildly annoyed at myself."What's wrong, Yume?" Chichiri asked."This," I answered placing my bag in front of me.They both stared at it a moment before sharing a glance. "I'm not quite sure I understand, Yume. Is something missing from it?" Hotohori said, looking puzzled."Nothing's missing from it, which makes me wonder as well," I replied."Then what's the problem?" Chichiri questioned, giving me a very odd look."I'm not sure if I understand why this couldn't wait, Yume. If nothing's wrong with your bag, then there is no problem. If this is some kind of joke, hurry up and get to the punch line before I lose my patience," Hotohori added, giving me a very serious look."The problem is that until about ten minutes ago, it was in Nakago's possession. Or at least that of the Seiryuu seishi," I informed them.A nervous look passed between them before the monk spoke. "If Nakago had it, how do you have it now, you know?""I didn't go and get it, if that's what you're thinking. He had it delivered to me by Tomo, along with a message. Tomo said...he said Nakago was coming for me," I answered. I saw signs of panic and disbelief beginning to form in their faces and quickly added, "I don't know whether Tomo was telling the truth or not. I do know Tomo hates me with a passion and that Nakago had tried to rehire me and was pissed off when I declined his...offer. I just thought I should tell you.""Yume," the emperor began, "I need you to tell me exactly what happened this morning. I want to know every detail, from the moment you woke up to the point you got here. Leave nothing out."So I spent the rest of the morning and a good portion of the afternoon going over what I said, did, saw, and heard. Even the seemingly most insignificant details were explored. Neither Chichiri nor Hotohori could determine whether or not Tomo's message was legitimate or just an idle threat, but we all agreed it could not be ignored. Seppuka, Renee, Fae and Katana were brought in and asked about what could be done to create a more effective barrier against the Seiryuu seishi. Katana, although she no longer had close to the amount of power she had before Suzaku's sealing, gave her advice and opinion. The other three agreed to make a barrier similar to the one they had used to protect me when I was being tested so long ago. And that pretty much sums up our meeting. I was then released under the terms that I was not to leave the palace alone. My room was to be guarded at night and I was to limit my ventures around the palace to daylight only. If Shiriko needed a walk after dusk, someone else would have to do it. I could already tell this would not be fun.I went to lunch with the emperor, Chichiri and my assistants. No one talked, having exhausted our voices in our meeting. I returned to my room with Shiriko after that, having no real desire to talk to anyone, and decided to wash my clothing. They were starting to get rather gross. I grabbed my CD player, the CD my friend burned for me ("The Clash, The Cure, and More!"), and a borrowed thing to put water in and set to it. It had been a while since I had to wash clothes by hand but I didn't really care. It gave me something to do to keep my mind off things. Soon, I found myself up to my elbows in water and singing "Boys Don't Cry" at the top of my lungs. Shiriko sat on his makeshift bed, sleeping, used to my random outbursts. Once all my clothes (minus the ones I was wearing) were clean, I draped them around the room in random places so that they could dry. I wasn't expecting company, anyway.Once my clothing was taken care of, I still found myself not wanting to deal with people and instead, spread out on my bed and thought. I kept the music on in the background just so I could hear something. I must have dozed off, however, because the next time I opened my eyes, the sun was setting. 'Great. It's past my curfew and I'm hungry. This is just peachy.' I opened the door, hoping against all odds that the guards hadn't come yet, but they had. They looked at me with the blank stares of people who are just following orders."I'm sorry, miss, but you can't leave this room. Emperor's orders," the one on the right said.I felt like smacking myself in the forehead. 'Stupid, stupid, stupid! Why'd you have to fall asleep?!' I ranted. I smiled my best "cute smile." "I'm really hungry, though. I must have fallen asleep and missed dinner," I told them. "I know I can't leave but do you think one of you could go get me something to eat?"They looked at each other and the one on the left shrugged skeptically. "Well...I don't suppose it'd do any harm to get you food. I wouldn't want you to starve," he said."Thanks so much! You're doing me a great favor."He headed out to retrieve my meal and I went back into my room to wait for my meal. 'Maybe this won't be so bad,' I thought. 'It's like I have my own servants. It's kinda cool. I am the Oracle. Obey me. Muahahaha.' 'Nice, Yume. Real nice,' Byakko commented in a dry voice. 'We really know how to pick them, don't we?' Genbu added. 'Oh shut up. I should be allowed some fun, too. The priestesses get to have sex with you and all I get is your criticizing comments. I have to put up with you and they get three wishes. It's unfair, it really is.' 'No one said we couldn't sleep with you, too, Yume. I mean, if you're feeling cheated, I'd be happy to help cure the problem,' Byakko replied, and, though I couldn't see his face, I knew he was smiling. 'I bet you would,' Genbu mumbled.I didn't get a chance to respond because at that moment, there was a knock at my door. "Here is your food, your Eminence. Let me know when you finish and I will take the tray back.""Could you do me one more tiny favor?" I asked."What?""Could you please take my dog for a walk? He'll never let me sleep if he doesn't go out. You do want me to be able to sleep, don't you?""Of...of course! I will gladly take him out if it will aid your sleep," the guard answered quickly. I flashed him a big smile and handed him Shiriko's leash."Just around the garden will do." The guard nodded. "Thanks again."I ate the food the guard brought me hungrily, forsaking manners for the moment. No one was here to see anyway. When he returned with Shiriko, I handed him the empty dishware and informed them that I would be retiring for the night and that I did not want to be disturbed. They took their posts outside my door and I got ready to sleep.'You're pulling off the innocently holy Oracle act very well, Yume,' Byakko said as I was locating my newly washed clothing.'Well, with the exception of your little outburst about not getting any,' Genbu asked, joining in. If he had one at the moment, I would have slapped him across the face for that comment.'I'm curious, Yume. Was that a request for sex or just an expression of your lack of a sex life?' Byakko added.'What was your reply?' I returned.'An answer to your plea.'I wasn't sure what to say to that so I decided to taunt him a bit. 'Well, get a body and we'll see what happens. No promises, though,' I replied.'I can get one in less than five minutes. That work for you?''No, sorry, I have more pressing matters to attend to at the moment. Rain check?''You better believe it. I'm gonna hold you to this, you know.''Uh-huh. Whatever. But I'm going to be going to sleep now so you guys have to leave. It's been fun but you know the rules,' I reminded them. 'Fine, fine. I don't know why you make such a big deal about it. It's not like we don't know what goes on in your mind, sleeping or awake,' Byakko whined. But I felt them leave. I changed into my pajamas and gave Shiriko a goodnight belly rub before blowing out the lights and climbing into bed. I closed my eyes and drifted into sleep.I felt the warmth of the sun on my closed eyelids and knew that morning had come. It was strange, though, because I felt like I hadn't slept at all. I turned onto my side and attempted to drift back to sleep."Ah, I see you're up, Yume. Good morning. Sleep well?" I heard a familiar voice say pleasantly from the edge of the room. I sat up with a start and looked around. In the corner behind the door was an unmistakable shadow. I wanted to scream."You...you can't be here..." I stammered."Well, that's hardly the warm welcome I was hoping for. But then again, what else could I have expected? You do have difficulties expressing your real feelings, don't you Yume?" Nakago replied, stepping into the light."The guards...they...they...""Left," he finished, smiling at my discomfort. "Look out the window, Yume. It's well into the morning. I dare say you overslept."Despite my wishes, my head turned and looked out the adjacent window. He was right, I knew he would be, it was morning. The sky was bright blue and cloudless. It looked like a perfect day. It was exactly the opposite of what I was feeling. "But...the barriers... You couldn't have been able to get through... It's not possible... No..." I clutched my head at the temples to the point just before it hurt. It was too much for me to handle. 'He can't be here! He can't!'"Oh my sweet, naïve little Yume. Did you honestly think your little barriers could stop me? I promised that I would return for you and I always keep my word." He took a step towards me and I instinctively backed up until my back was against the wall."Don't come near me or I swear I will kill you. I'm stronger than you, remember?" I warned though clenched teeth, trying not to betray my fear."Come now! Haven't we gotten past this yet? You're mine, Yume. I brought you here from your boring little world. I rescued you from the monotony of anonymity. Without me, you'd still be just another normal girl trapped in a world that doesn't appreciate her. Without me, you are nothing!" He took another step."I warned you! Stay away!" I yelled, lashing out with the powers granted to me by the gods. He just laughed and I sat there dumbfounded. 'It...didn't work. Why didn't it work? Byakko? Genbu? Help me!' I pleaded. Only silence answered me. I was utterly and completely alone."I told you, Yume. I made you what you are today. Without me, you're nothing!" He crossed the room and I screamed."Yume. Yume! YUME!" I felt hands on my shoulders shaking me and I heard a voice calling my name. In my clouded state of mind, I couldn't identify the source and so, swung a fist at my attacker. I felt it connect with his face and the grip on my shoulders receded. I took the moment to back away from him. "What the fuck was that for?"I opened my eyes and saw Tasuki sitting on the edge of my bed, shirtless for some reason, and holding his cheek. I flushed crimson (and not just from embarrassment) and tried to explain. "I'm so sorry, Tasuki! I didn't know it was you! I was having a nightmare and then I felt these hands on my shoulders and well, kind of over-reacted." I looked at him for a moment and a thought occurred to me. "What are you doing in my room in the middle of the night without a shirt on anyway?"It was his turn to look embarrassed and he did so most cutely. "I was out walking cause I couldn't sleep and I heard you screaming. The guards were standing outside your door. They said you didn't want to be disturbed so they didn't know what to do. Nice job with those two, by the way," he answered. The awkwardness of this situation sunk in and an uncomfortable silence settled in the room. I wanted to say something to him but the words wouldn't come. I sat there for a moment and looked at my hands."Thanks for waking me up. I don't want to think about what would have happened next..." I shuddered."Do you...err...wanna talk about it?" he asked, obviously unsure of what to say as well."What?""The dream. Do you want to talk about it?" he repeated."Do you want to hear about it?" I countered."That depends. How bad was it?""Pretty bad for me, anyway. I don't know how you'd rate it." I could tell he didn't really want to hear about it and that his presence here with me was enough to make him uncomfortable so I decided to give him an out. "You don't have to stay here, Tasuki. You can leave. I won't blame you for it. You have reason to. There's not much you can do for me, anyway. I'm probably not going to go back to sleep so I won't be screaming anymore.""Would it...make you feel better...if I...err...stayed here for a bit?" he asked, stumbling over the words. "You know, just until you feel better."I wanted to yell "Yes!" but thought better of it. "If you don't mind," I said instead. "I mean, I don't want to interfere.""Trust me," he began, "You aren't." I smiled and settled back on my bed, still unnerved by the dream but feeling comforted by Tasuki's presence. He pulled a chair up next to the bed and sat in it. "Yume...I...""Shh..." I said. "Don't say you're sorry. I think we've both said that enough times to last us a lifetime. Or at least, I have." He smiled and I returned it. "Let's just sit here and not talk. It seems that every time we talk, something goes wrong." He grabbed my hand and squeezed it."All right. Have it yer way, then.""Damn straight."I woke up and stretched. I felt pretty rested. But then, I should. I spent most of yesterday sleeping. I turned over and saw Tasuki still sitting in the chair, asleep. He looked so cute I wanted to hug him but decided to let him sleep. 'Sleep sounds good. Rested or not, I have nowhere to go, anyway.' As I was settling back into my pillow, my door banged open."Go away! I'm sleeping!" I mumbled into my pillow, pulling it over my head."So he is here. Told you guys," I heard Tamahome say. I removed the pillow and looked at my door. The whole group, minus Miaka, was standing there."What's going on?" Tasuki asked, sitting up and wiping the sleep from his eyes."The Kutou army is here. Fae picked them up this morning when they passed through the barrier. As far as we can tell, they haven't made a move to attack but it's only a matter of time," Hotohori answered, sounding very strained."What about Nakago?" I questioned, starting to panic."We don't know where he is, Yume," Chichiri told me."Shit."Author's Note: Awww! Yume/Tasuki moments are so great! I just want to hug them! ::big grin:: Sorry about that. I had to say it, though. I'll have you know that I wrote this chapter to the music of AFI and The Cure (and "Come on Eileen" by Dexy's Midnight Runners) so if it's a little messed up, that's why. The dream and Y/T moment was the Cure and the rest was AFI. I know they're very different bands but hey, that's what I wanted to listen to. Anyway, was that a long chapter or what? I really out did myself this time. I just couldn't end it. I was going to stop at "damn straight" but as I was writing this author's note, I decided to add that last part. I hope you liked it. I had fun writing it. (Especially the argument about Yume's rights with Byakko. That I added in for kicks.) Well, I'll see what I can do about a quick update. But I can't promise anything with my computer being all dumb and stuff. I don't really have a quote...but I'll make one up.'Oh, I get it. You'll sleep with the bandit but not me. That hurts, Yume, It really hurts.' 'I didn't sleep with him!'Heh heh. Jealousy sucks. Til next time, folks, I bid you adieu. Oh, one more thing. Since I posted the author's rant as this chapter but then replaced it, you guys won't be able to review. But, if you really want to, you could review anonymously, using the name. Just a thought. I'm not asking you to but if you feel this chapter deserves a review but you already reviewed the a/n, you could do that...Smack 


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